A beautifully written research paper used to tell editors something. Clear sentences, careful structure, flawless grammar, and well-formatted references could all signal that an author had taken the work seriously. Today, however, polished prose tells us much less than it once did. The reason is simple: AI has made good-looking academic writing remarkably easy to … Read more
Open Access and the Search for Sustainable Funding The open access (OA) movement was founded on a simple but transformative principle: scholarly knowledge, particularly research supported by public funding, should be freely accessible to everyone. Over the past two decades, this vision has reshaped scholarly communication by reducing barriers to reading, increasing the visibility of … Read more
Introduction: The Wrong Question Has open access failed? It is a tempting question, and increasingly, a popular one. Critics point to rising publishing costs, predatory journals, paper mills, and the growing frustration of researchers who feel that the system is no longer working in their favor. From a distance, the conclusion seems obvious. Open access … Read more
Introduction For over two decades, open access has been framed as one of the most important moral victories in academic publishing. The idea is simple, elegant, and almost impossible to argue against. Knowledge, especially publicly funded knowledge, should be freely available to anyone who seeks it. No paywalls. No barriers. No gatekeeping based on ability … Read more
Introduction Something fundamental has changed in academic publishing, and it did not arrive with a dramatic announcement or a clean transition plan. It happened quietly, almost awkwardly, as if the industry itself was not entirely aware of what was going on. For decades, the business model was straightforward. Publishers sold content to libraries, libraries paid … Read more