Scientific and Medical Journals on the Web

The Internet is a very different place than it was just a couple of years ago, and readers’ expectations are constantly evolving. As the features of online journals grow in complexity, it is even more critical for publishers to design Web sites that create value. This 2005 report will help you determine if your online journal has kept pace and where tactical upgrades can be made.

Based on a 33-question survey of more than 1,900 scientific and medical professionals, this report re-examines readers’ expectations, preferences and needs as they relate to the use of Web-based journals. It reveals trends in the ways online journals are found and accessed, readers’ perceptions of the most important features, and the most acceptable ways to pay for access to online journals—from commercial advertising to various subscription levels. It also details readers’ satisfaction with 5 leading journals in terms of types of content, information features and searching capabilities. These benchmarks will help publishers identify those core elements that contribute positively to the leading journals' overall brand perception and understand where they are performing relative to both their competitors and customer expectations. Additionally, by providing insights into why readers submit articles to specific journals, this report will also help you attract authors.

Since 2001, new developments such as open access publishing have raised even more questions for publishers. In order to facilitate broader dissemination of information, open access publishing would eliminate subscription fees collected by publishers and instead require authors to pay publishing costs. As a result, the report includes discussions of this alternative model from the author’s perspective—including whether authors should be expected to pay a fee to publish their work, the effect of receiving payments on open access publishers’ acceptance rates and copyright issues. It also examines other business models such as a pay-per-view option for users who are interested in downloading only a particular article and do not want to pay for a long-term subscription, and technological initiatives like CrossRef—a service that allows researchers to navigate online literature at the article level.

Overall, the results of this study indicate that STM publishers can gain a competitive advantage in the online journal market by focusing on customer value, and this report will be an invaluable step for them to gain a better understanding of their readers.