RePosit questionnaire: some key findings (Part 2)
Earlier this year, we distributed a questionnaire as part of the JISC funded RePosit project. The Part 1 blog post looked at the overall awareness of local systems at the University of Leeds, motivators and de-motivators for research paper deposit and the type of support depositors wanted.
The questionnaire also asked some general questions about researchers' attitudes towards open access. We can compare our results with those of the recent 'Unlocking Attitudes to Open Access' survey coordinated by the Repositories Support Project - results to similar questions in green.
Q. How do you feel about the principles of Open Access?
Strongly in favour: 53% (63%)
Mildly in Favour: 27% (22%)
Neutral: 8% (8%)
Mildly Against: 3% (3%)
Strongly Against: 1% (2%)
Don't Know: 8% (2%)
It's likely our 'don't knows' are higher because we targeted both academics and research support staff.
Q. If your research funder required you to deposit copies of your articles in White Rose Research Online or another open archive, what would be your reaction?
I would comply willingly: 56%
I would comply: 36%
I would comply reluctantly: 6%
I would not comply: 2%
Q. If the University required you to deposit copies of your articles in White Rose Research Online or another open archive, what would be your reaction?
I would comply willingly: 44%
I would comply: 36%
I would comply reluctantly: 18%
I would not comply: 2%
Q. Would it be acceptable to you that an "author final version" is held in the Repository? The "author final version" is the author-created version that incorporates referee comments and is the accepted version for publication, but does not contain publisher typesetting.
Yes: 67% (77%)
No: 33% (23%)
Our question used the same wording as the RSP question. The reason for the greater reluctance to use author-created versions at Leeds compared with the average across RSP institutions is not immediately clear. If we break down attitude by role we find all research roles have above average concern about versions:
Professor, Reader, Senior Lecturer, Senior Research Fellow: Yes 69%; No 31%
Lecturer, Research Fellow: Yes 56%; No 44%
Graduate Student, Post-doctoral Researcher: Yes 66%; No 34%
(Administrator Yes 80%; No 20%; Other Yes 80%; No 20%)
Lesson learned: we need to promote the author-created version positively - and understand more about researchers' version attitudes.
