A Large Scale Perspective on Open Access Publishing: Examining Gender and Scientific Disciplines in 38 OECD countries

Abstract

Gender inequality is a persistent issue in scientific publishing, but recent studies suggest that Open Access (OA) publishing can increase the visibility and impact of female scientists' research. To provide a comprehensive, large-scale view of OA publishing considering gender and individual scientific disciplines, we analyzed a dataset of OpenAlex. Our final sample contained over 20 millions publications, including closed OA status publications, and over 8 millions publications, excluding closed OA status publications. Using the Genderize.io tool, we determined the gender of the authors. Results showed that female scientists publish more in OA mode, especially in Gold OA. Male scientists, on the other hand, tend to use Green OA. Our results also revealed a decreasing trend of Bronze OA and a growing trend of Gold and Hybrid OA. Biology, Physics, and Mathematics have the largest share of OA publications. Overall, our study provides a global perspective on gender and OA publishing and contributes to efforts to promote gender equality and inclusiveness in science and research.