IUMRS Survey on the Evolution of Scientific Publishing

Scientists, including materials researchers, publish the results of research and rely on the scientific literature to learn about the results of others. Many protocols and traditions in the publishing process have arisen over a century or more, but the recent advent of electronic resources and demands for open access to research reports and their underlying data has greatly complicated this vital aspect of an individual scientist’s or engineer’s job as well as the entire fabric of our society’s science and technology enterprise. The Survey on the Evolution of Scientific Publishing, initiated by IUMRS in October 2018, was intended to collect opinions and some related demographics which, when aggregated, may provide a fresh perspective on the scientific publishing enterprise from viewpoint of the very people who are most closely affected by it.