Accessing paywalled science literature

My comments here are not only towards 'environmental'. Any fella might find some publication of interest, and see publisher saying "pay me" $10, $60, or something beyond that range. Tearful folk may feel abused as their quest for knowledge seems adversely monetized.

Not for the first time, I say here that such weeping is as nothing. Today I had several pubs listed that I want, behind so-called wall. Always there is one (or more) corresponding author(s). Some journal$ choose to not directly reveal their emails. To any readers who may lack internet-searching skills, yes, you are effed and would need to pay. To all others I say that my X emails sent out today are leading to inbox clogging.

I want readers to realize that scientific authors are happy to send you their stuff. Perhaps 2% (based on my extensive emailing) won't respond. This means, if you want to read (behind the wall), you can. All you need to do is find corresponding author' email and ask for a pdf. You don't need to be somebody special. You don't need to say why you want to read it. Just ask and say thanks for it. As any polite person would.

I could go from this residential apartment to any of several Universities that have broad journal accesses to get these but I usually don't. Easy enough to discern corresponding author email address. This also appears to provide some ++ to authors - somebody is interested in what I do.

If you choose to pay publisher whatever she wants for your copy, I do not object. They are not near bankrupcy and to be saved by your generosity, but whatevs.

Just please, do not ever post here or elsewhere your weeping that journal paywalls kept you from knowing something.

Seriously...

 

2k1Toaster might provide such library URL links. I'd not object. Would only say that directly emailing authors makes then happy and here I'm opposing presumption that they might be 'irritated' by your email requests.

Sometimes I email and <5 minutes later, bang. I look at time zones and imagine an author, on computer in PJs, waiting/hoping for somebody to 'ask'.

Going the library route certainly works. Going the direct route might be better if you might later continue a conversation on the subject.

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I work with Chinese students who by default say "I would not dare..." They simply don't get it that people who invest themselves in some work are interested that somebody else is interested in their work and goes to the (minor) trouble of saying so.

 

Today I sent out several email requests and responses have begun. It's fun and if I've not made it seem so already, don't know what more to say.

It would be great if I could convince (a few of) you that Science is not people with PhDs only interested in talking to other people with PhDs. Instead, it is people who are totally intrigued with something, and happy to discuss that something with anybody.

Going anonymously though library access works, but leaves first direct communication step for later. If that's what you want.

 

Yet if you use direct email to say someone's research is wrong, based on what you heard from Rush Limbaugh (or 30 others similar), do not expect a prompt response. Instead, suppose that they have already heard it (they have) and despair the effort of teaching you.

If you see that as elitism, you will simply have to stew in that sauce. No simple cure presents itself.

 

There must be a better place to discuss how Toyota monetizes ... everything. Here we might consider how to access new science. It's rare that you have no choice other than to pay a Journal. So much better if you open communication with some author, because you are not just a passive consumer of things published. You (maybe once in a while) bring new thoughts to consider and authors might only 'ignore' if you extol in an unfriendly way.

I think, as you might, that paywalls push us towards more direct interactions with authors of what we want to read.