Multidisciplinary research project shows: COVID-19 pandemic has no impact on scientific publication behaviour
OASE study reveals: Scientific publication practices resistant to external shocks
The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed work processes worldwide: Working from home, flexible work locations, virtual meetings and digital collaboration platforms became the new norm from one day to the next. Against this backdrop, the question arose as to whether the publishing behaviour of researchers would react with similar volatility to these far-reaching changes.
The BMBF-funded research project “Open Access Effects” (OASE), carried out by the ZBW and the GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, investigated this question. Under the direction of Prof Dr Isabella Peters and Dr Philipp Mayr, the researchers investigated whether and how open access and preprints affect scientific impact and what role the COVID-19 pandemic played in publication decisions. Contrary to the assumption that the pandemic could have a significant impact on publication strategies, the results showed a different picture: publication practice in research is proving to be surprisingly resistant to external shocks and remains largely stable in the long term.
The results of the “OASE – Open Access Effects” project make it clear that the disciplinary culture of academic publishing is robust in the face of external changes. Nevertheless, it is clear that researchers are willing to adapt their publication strategies, especially if there are advantages such as faster dissemination of research results.
Listening tip (in german):
Auswirkungen von Open-Access-Publikationen
In episode 41 of the ZBW podcast “The Future is Open Science”, the two scientists Dr Kristin Biesenbender and Dr Philipp Mayr from the BMBF research project explain the results of the project and look at the role that preprints play in it, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
*This text was written on 17 April 2025.
This text was translated on 12 May 2025 using DeeplPro.