Open-access physics education journals?

In summary, the conversation is about the European Journal of Physics, which publishes pedagogical papers on relativity. The speaker received a request to referee a paper but is hesitant due to the journal not being open-access. They ask if there are any open-access physics journals that focus on education. Another person suggests a few options, including a journal from the American Physical Society and the Institute of Physics, but notes that they may not be completely open-access. The conversation ends with a discussion on the IoP's plans to make publicly-funded research open-access.
  • #1
bcrowell
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I've gotten a couple of requests to referee papers for the European Journal of Physics, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Journal_of_Physics , which is a journal that publishes pedagogical papers (not original physics research). Both of these were for pedagogy papers having to do with relativity, which is in principle a topic I'd enjoy being a referee on, and one on which I think I would typically have sufficient expertise (depending on exactly what the paper was). I did a report on the first one, but now the second request is in my in-box, and I'm thinking that this is probably not where I want to direct my energies, since EJP isn't open-access, and I can't even read it myself. (They theoretically do allow authors to make their papers open-access, but they have to pay $2700 to do so, and clicking through a small random sample of EJP papers failed to turn up any that weren't paywalled.)

Is there any open-access physics journal of this type, focusing on education rather than research?
 
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  • #3
Awesome, thanks, jedishrfu!
 
  • #4
Just in case you are not aware of this, EJP is the IoP's equivalent of the AIP's AJP.

(Yeah, yeah.. I know. I did that on purpose!)

The American Institute of Physics's "American Journal of Physics" is also not an open access journal (at least, not yet). However, unless I'm mistaken, the European Journal of Physics does make a few of the article in each edition open access. How they select which paper to make available is still a mystery.

Still, the IoP has reported that they have joined CHOR Inc. to make publically-funded research work on the US to be Open Access. So it might mean that certain articles appearing across their numerous journals will be that way. This is in addition to the fact that New Journal of Physics, since its inception, had always been an open access journal.

Zz.
 
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  • #5
ZapperZ said:
However, unless I'm mistaken, the European Journal of Physics does make a few of the article in each edition open access. How they select which paper to make available is still a mystery.

It's equally possible that I'm mistaken, but my understanding of the situation is given in #1.
 

1. What is an open-access physics education journal?

An open-access physics education journal is a scholarly publication that is freely available online, with no subscription or paywall barriers. This means that anyone, regardless of their institution or financial resources, can access and read the articles published in the journal.

2. Why are open-access physics education journals important?

Open-access physics education journals are important because they promote the free flow of knowledge and information. They allow for greater accessibility and dissemination of research, which can benefit educators, students, and the broader scientific community. Additionally, open-access journals often have faster publication times and may have a higher citation impact, making them valuable resources for researchers.

3. How can I submit my research to an open-access physics education journal?

To submit your research to an open-access physics education journal, you can typically visit the journal's website and follow their submission guidelines. These guidelines will outline the specific requirements for formatting, length, and content of your manuscript. It is important to carefully review and follow these guidelines to increase your chances of acceptance.

4. Are open-access physics education journals peer-reviewed?

Yes, most open-access physics education journals are peer-reviewed. This means that all submitted manuscripts undergo a rigorous evaluation process by experts in the field before being accepted for publication. Peer-review helps to ensure the quality and validity of the research published in the journal.

5. Are there any fees associated with publishing in an open-access physics education journal?

Some open-access physics education journals may charge article processing fees to cover the cost of publishing and maintaining the journal. However, there are also many reputable open-access journals that do not charge any fees to authors. It is important to carefully review the journal's policies and fees before submitting your research.

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