(3 June 2015, New York/Stuttgart) What is a fair price for an author to publish their article in a journal? With the launch of their new journal The Surgery Journal Thieme is hoping to try to answer this question.
Thieme is proud to announce their collaboration with the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität of Munich’s School of Management and Department of Economics in a groundbreaking research project. The project involves examining authors’ perceptions of Article Processing Fees (APC) and Pay What You Want (PWYW) as a business model for academic journals.
The LMU research department will be setting up the trial parameters so that the results can be analyzed and ultimately published for academics, publishers and anyone else interested in Open Access publishing and PWYW as a business model.
Co-Project leader Professor Martin Spann, co-author of several highly cited papers investigating PWYW as a marketing strategy, commented: “We are excited to investigate how Pay What You Want is going to perform in the context of Open Access Publishing. My colleague and co-project leader Professor Klaus Schmidt and I are very much looking forward to the collaboration with Thieme Publishers.”
This collaboration coincides with the launch of The Surgery Journal, a new Open Access, multi-disciplinary journal publishing original research and reviews on all surgical specialties. Following acceptance of a paper after peer review, authors will be given the opportunity to pay an APC fee that they feel is most suitable (Pay What You Want – PWYW).
The Surgery Journal (TSJ) is a unique, all-encompassing, open access journal for surgeons and trainee surgeons of all disciplines, as well as other medical professionals engaged in the support and surgical treatment of patients. Available online only, it will publish original articles, reviews, and case reports.
Graham Brumfield, Associate Publisher at Thieme, said: “This new journal is important to Thieme as it bridges all surgical specialties, bringing together the expertise we have established across many journals in the field. In addition, by working with Professors Schmidt and Spann, it allows us to contribute to the Open Access discussion in a meaningful way, reaffirming Thieme’s growing reputation as an Open Access publisher.”
Daniel Schiff, Senior Vice President at Thieme, commented: “In a field where many statements are made by many parties, we thought there was a need to hear the authors and gage how they value the paradigm shift to Open Access. What better way to gage value than asking them to fix the price? By doing so on a major new launch, Thieme is demonstrating its commitment to the Open Access movement and willingness to take a substantial risk to collect information in order to advance the debate on the basis of factual evidence.”
TSJ is an essential resource for surgeons of every specialty seeking a diversified insight into surgery, pre- and post-operative care, emerging operative equipment and techniques, and the issues facing surgical practice.
Assistant Acquisitions Editor Nikolay Shargorodsky said: “By working in collaboration and not in competition with our established surgery titles, we can ensure that all papers undergo a thorough, yet quick, peer review process, providing authors with a rapid turnaround and, assuming acceptance, a high-quality final product.”
The announcement is here.
