A dissemination divide? The factors that influence the journal selection decision of LIS researchers and practitioners

Just over a year ago, I wrote a blog post looking for participants for a survey on how LIS professionals and researchers select a journal for their research. Those who completed it may be interested in the results, which have just been published in Library and Information Research.

One of the most interesting findings was the relatively significant percentage (around 20%) of respondents who rated open access (either Gold or Green options) as unimportant or not at all important when selecting a publication. I would love to do more work in this particular area, so if anyone out there has any ideas or wants to get involved in a study, please let me know.

Thanks again to all those who took the time to complete the survey, and to LIR for publishing it.

Abstract
With increasing volumes of research output and the continued emergence of new publishing venues, scholarly publishing has become a crowded landscape. This study analyses the factors that influence LIS authors when selecting a journal for submission, and in particular the significance of open access (OA) options and bibliometric indicators in this decision-making process. An online questionnaire with Likert scales was used to collect and rank the preferences and attitudes of LIS professionals. As part of the analysis, two separate sub-groups were examined using inferential statistical tests to explore if the research-practice divide so often cited in the LIS literature is also replicated in journal selection. It is concluded that choosing a journal for LIS research is a complex decision for both faculty members and librarians. Whilst some commonality exists between both groups, many variables show evidence of a divide in practices and preferences in consonance with the existing research. [Full Text]