University Journals: Access For All?

University journal articles are often hidden behind paywalls, which can be extremely prohibitive for non-students wanting to access them. However, there are ways for non-students to access these articles. Some universities offer alumni library passes, or allow the public to access their libraries. Public libraries also often subscribe to costly databases, which can be accessed for free or for a small fee. Alternatively, you can contact the author of the article directly and ask for a copy.

Public libraries

If your local public library does not have access to the article you are looking for, you could try contacting a larger or specialist branch to see if they have the article. Additionally, many college libraries allow non-students access, although borrowing privileges may be restricted.

If you are unable to find a public library with access to the article you require, you could try contacting the author directly. Many scholars include PDFs of their work on their CV or research website, and they will often be happy to share their work.

Alumni access

Alumni of many universities can access JSTOR, a database of core scholarly journals, as a perk of joining the alumni association. However, this is not a comprehensive list, and many alumni associations offer access in other ways. For example, Harvard University alumni can apply for a Library Borrowing Card, which comes with on-site access, at no charge.

Alumni of some institutions can also access EBSCO, which is a scholarly collection of journals covering the major areas of academic research.

The University of California's eScholarship initiative provides open-access journals, books, working papers, conference proceedings, and more from UC researchers. Alumni can also find the open-access research repositories of other institutions using The Directory of Open Access Repositories (OpenDOAR).

Some universities also provide remote access to selected databases for alumni, or allow alumni to purchase that access at a reduced rate.

Contacting authors

Contacting the author of a journal article is a great way to obtain a copy of their work. Here are some tips to help you get in touch with them:

Finding Contact Information

Firstly, you need to find the author's contact information. The easiest way to do this is by looking at the published article. Author names and affiliations are always listed, and you can use this information to search for the author online. This may lead you to their website or the website of their institution, where contact information is usually provided.

Alternatively, if you cannot find the author's contact details, you can contact the editor of the journal. Editors typically have access to author information and will provide it to you if you have a valid reason for needing it.

Making Contact

Once you have the author's contact details, you can reach out to them via email or through social media platforms such as Twitter or Facebook. It is worth noting that researchers are often busy and receive a high volume of emails, so you may need to try multiple methods of communication to get a response.

When making contact, be sure to explain your reason for reaching out clearly and concisely. For example, you might say something like:

> "Hi Dr. Smith,

>

> My name is [Your Name], and I am currently researching [Topic] independently. I came across your article, '[Article Title],' and would greatly appreciate it if you could share a copy with me. I understand there are legal versions that you are permitted to share, and I am happy to sign any necessary agreements.

>

> Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing back from you.

>

> Best regards,

> [Your Name]"

Remember to be respectful and polite throughout your communication, and be mindful that authors are under no obligation to share their work with you. However, most academics are passionate about their research being read and discussed, so it is worth reaching out and making your request known.

Additional Tips

• If you are unable to find the author's email address, you can try contacting them through their institution's library or research office.
• You can also try using the Open Access Button, which is a website and browser extension that can automatically send requests to authors on your behalf.
• When you receive a copy of the article, be sure to only use it for your personal research and do not distribute it to large groups or share it online without the author's permission.

By following these steps, you can effectively contact authors and increase your chances of obtaining the journal articles you need for your research.

Academic social networks

There are two main types of academic social media platforms: profile platforms and social networks. Profile platforms allow academics to set up a profile and share their publications, but do not offer networking capabilities. Examples of profile platforms include ORCID, Scopus Author Identifier, Publons, Google Scholar Citations, and Kudos.

Social networks, on the other hand, offer direct communication with colleagues in addition to the online presentation of one's work. The two most widely used academic social networks are ResearchGate and Academia.edu. ResearchGate has over 16 million members worldwide and is most popular in the Natural Sciences, while Academia.edu has over 117 million members and is primarily used in the Humanities and Social Sciences. Other academic social networks include Mendeley, Zotero, LinkedIn, and Xing.

When using academic social networks, it is important to be aware of potential pitfalls, such as copyright issues and the use of for-profit platforms. It is also important to consider the time commitment involved in curating multiple platforms and to be critical of the information shared on these sites, just as one would with any other social media platform.

Subscriptions

Aggregated subscription services, such as JSTOR, Proquest Dialog, LexisNexis, ACM, and Questia, offer access to a large number of journals and other resources for a fee. DeepDyve is another subscription service that provides "streaming" access to journal articles from 10,000 publications for a flat monthly fee. However, this service does not allow printing or copying of articles.

Public libraries often subscribe to costly databases, and you may be able to access these resources with a library card. Some libraries also offer interlibrary loan services, which allow you to request resources from other libraries for free or for a fee.

University libraries may offer alumni access to their digital resources for a fee, or allow alumni to purchase access at a reduced rate.

Other Options

In addition to subscription services, there are several other ways to access journal articles without being a student:

• Contact the author directly and request a copy of the article. Many scholars are happy to share their work.
• Utilize preprint servers and repositories, such as arXiv, PubMed Central, and Google Scholar, which provide free access to articles.
• Use open-access platforms, such as Academia.edu and ResearchGate, where authors may upload their papers.
• Purchase individual articles directly from the publisher, although this can be expensive for extensive research.
• Visit a university library in person and access their collection on-site. Some universities offer public access, while others may require a fee or alumni status.
• Become a "visiting scholar" or "research affiliate" at a university, which can provide full access to their resources.
• Utilize peer-sharing networks, such as #icanhazpdf on Twitter or the r/Scholar community on Reddit, where users can request and share articles. However, this method is unpredictable and legally questionable.
• Use pirate sites like Sci-Hub or LibGen, which provide illegal access to a large number of articles.

Frequently asked questions