How to Access Research Articles for Free

Summary

The video highlights the issue of inaccessible scientific research, where high journal subscription fees prevent widespread access, especially in developing countries. Despite optimism over the years, the problem persists, with research funded by public money being locked behind paywalls. The story of Alexandra ElBakyan, a graduate student from Kazakhstan, is featured. She created Sci-Hub, a website that provides free access to scientific literature, bypassing paywalls and making research available to anyone, anywhere. Her actions have been hailed as revolutionary in combating the injustice of restricted access to knowledge.

Takeaways

• 😀 The first scientific journals were published in 1665, containing groundbreaking discoveries, such as those related to Jupiter, scurvy, and DNA.
• 😀 Early scientific journals provided valuable insights, including accounts of notable events like playing with kites during lightning storms and the musical talents of Amadeus.
• 😀 Despite being around for over 350 years, scientific journals remain prohibitively expensive, with some subscriptions costing up to $6,666 annually.
• 😀 High subscription prices for journals have made it difficult for researchers, especially in developing countries, to access critical scientific information.
• 😀 There was optimism in the 1990s that access to scientific research would be solved by 2004, but that goal has not been realized, with delays pushing the target to 2015.
• 😀 Even well-funded institutions like Harvard are struggling with the rising costs of research journals, which can cost up to $35,000 per journal annually.
• 😀 Despite paying for research with tax dollars, the public is often unable to access the research they have funded, resulting in a system where research becomes a profit-driven commodity.
• 😀 The issue of access to scientific research has sparked dissatisfaction, as publishers profit from research they did not fund, while the public continues to pay for it multiple times.
• 😀 Alexandra ElBakyan, a researcher from Kazakhstan, created Sci-Hub as a solution to the issue of costly scientific articles, offering free access to the world's scientific literature.
• 😀 ElBakyan's initiative was hailed as revolutionary by the scientific community, and in 2016, she was named one of the top 10 most influential people in science for her work in making research freely available.

Q & A

What was the significance of the first scientific journals published in 1665?

The first scientific journals, starting in 1665, documented groundbreaking discoveries like observations of Jupiter, the properties of oranges and lemons curing scurvy, and early research on DNA structure, setting the foundation for scientific communication.

Why is the high cost of scientific journals a problem for doctors in developing countries?

The high cost of scientific journals limits access to important research, meaning that doctors in developing countries often cannot access life-saving health information that could help improve their practices.

What was the initial optimism regarding access to scientific research in the 1990s?

In the 1990s, there was optimism that by 2004, the issue of limited access to scientific research would be resolved, ensuring that all individuals, including those in developing nations, could freely access critical scientific data.

Why did the goal of making scientific research freely accessible by 2004 or 2015 fail?

Despite the optimism, the goal failed because the costs of accessing research continued to rise, and the financial barriers remained in place, even by 2015, preventing widespread access to critical scientific knowledge.

How much do prestigious institutions like Harvard pay for access to scientific journals?

Institutions like Harvard, with massive endowments, are still facing high costs for research access, with some journals charging up to $35,000 annually for a single subscription.

What is the issue with paying for scientific research that has already been funded by taxpayers?

The issue lies in the fact that taxpayers fund the research, but individuals still have to pay again to access the research they helped fund, which feels unjust since the research is essentially owned by the public.

How do scientific publishers make money from publicly funded research?

Scientific publishers profit by charging high fees for access to the research that researchers and institutions create, despite not contributing to the research itself. They get the research for free and then sell it back to the public.

What role did Alexandra ElBakyan play in making scientific research accessible?

Alexandra ElBakyan, frustrated by the lack of access to scientific papers during her graduate studies, created Sci-Hub, a website that bypasses paywalls and provides free access to millions of scientific papers, making research freely available to anyone worldwide.

How did Alexandra ElBakyan's actions impact the scientific community?

Her actions revolutionized access to scientific literature, earning her praise as a hero in the scientific community, particularly for fighting against the injustice of inaccessible knowledge, and enabling researchers worldwide to access crucial information.

What is Sci-Hub, and how does it contribute to open access to research?

Sci-Hub is a website founded by Alexandra ElBakyan that provides free access to scientific papers by circumventing paywalls. It has become an important tool in ensuring that all researchers, regardless of their financial resources, can access the latest scientific information.