These Free Academic Journals Are a Boon for Any Journalist Seeking Info to Enrich Their Reporting
Access to academic research has been a persistent challenge for journalists seeking credible sources and in-depth information to enrich their reporting. The obstacle of academic journal paywalls has discouraged many journalists from utilizing these valuable resources. However, there is a glimmer of hope, as several of the world's largest journal publishers have recognized the importance of empowering journalists with free, online access to thousands of journals and research-related resources.
The following is a list exploring some prominent publishers that offer complimentary access to journalists, contact information for receiving access to these sources, as well as a short survey of the benefits and opportunities these initiatives present.
The American Economic Association
The American Economic Association (AEA) takes a proactive approach to support journalists in their quest for reliable information. The AEA provides free online access to its eight prestigious journals, including the esteemed American Economic Review. Journalists can request press access by reaching out to Doug Quint at 412-432-2301 or dquint@aeapubs.org. Moreover, journalists who set up press accounts can sign up for personalized email alerts based on their preferred topics and journals, enabling them to stay up-to-date with the latest research developments.
American Educational Research Association
Journalists specializing in educational reporting can benefit from complimentary digital subscriptions to seven journals offered by the American Educational Research Association (AERA). The flagship publication, the American Educational Research Journal, is among the key resources available. To set up an account, journalists can send an email to communications@aera.net. Additionally, AERA offers email alerts, enabling subscribers to receive updates on new studies before they appear in the print editions.
For health and medical journalists seeking in-depth insights, the American Medical Association (AMA) provides access to the JAMA Network, a collection of 13 journals including the widely circulated and eponymous Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Journalists can create free accounts to access articles across the JAMA Network, but they need to renew their accounts annually to maintain access.
As one of the world's largest publishers of scientific journals and method-based processes, Elsevier offers journalists access to valuable research-related tools and databases, with ScienceDirect being a prominent platform. According to Elsevier, ScienceDirect is its “leading platform offering the full-text scientific, technical and medical content of over 14 million publications from nearly 3,800 journals and more than 35,000 books from Elsevier, our imprints and our society partners: a quarter of the world’s published academic content.” Journalists can request access by sending an email to newsroom@elsevier.com and even receive regular updates through the Elsevier Research Selection newsletter.
Massachusetts Medical Society
The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), published by the Massachusetts Medical Society, is renowned as one of the most influential general medical journals globally. The NEJM Group offers two levels of free access to journalists: "advance" access and "regular" access. Advance access allows journalists to read the newest issue of NEJM weekly and past issues online, while regular access grants access to the journal's current and past issues. To apply for either level, journalists must meet specific publication criteria. Here is a link to apply for advanced access, and another for regular.
The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) is a prestigious general-science journal. Journalists can request a free online subscription by reaching out to the PNAS News Office, available at PNASnews@nas.edu or by phone at +1-202-334-1310. Furthermore, journalists can apply for access to embargoed (aka restricted) PNAS materials through the EurekAlert! website.
National Bureau of Economic Research
The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) provides journalists with the opportunity to read and download up to three working papers annually. Journalists can register for unlimited downloads by filling out a request form. While these papers have not undergone peer review, many eventually get published in academic journals after thorough discussions and feedback. For now, studies from NBER should be considered a source by which to track other, more vetted sources.
Sage Journals
Sage Journals is a major publisher with over 1,100 academic journals spanning various disciplines. Journalists can inquire about free access to journal articles by contacting Sage's communications team at pr@sagepub.co.uk. Notably, Sage also offers Sage Open, an open-access "mega-journal" that makes hundreds to thousands of studies freely available to everyone without a vetting process.
Springer Nature Group
The Springer Nature Group extends free online access to more than 3,000 journals covering diverse research disciplines. Journalists can register for a free account by completing a form that includes verification from an editor confirming their status as a journalist. Once registered, journalists do not have to re-register unless their work email address changes. However, the registration process requires a variety of materials for verification, including letters from a supervisor or an editor.
Taylor & Francis
Taylor & Francis, another prominent academic publisher, provides journalists with access to 50 online articles for free. Journalists can apply for the Press Pass, which includes access to academic articles, books, embargoed books, and press releases related to various fields, totaling over 3,000 individual bodies of work, after their 50 online pieces are up.
The barrier of academic journal paywalls for journalists seeking reliable research is in need of examination and dismantling. By offering free online access to thousands of journals and research-related resources, these organizations are empowering journalists with the knowledge they need to create informed and impactful stories, and sending a warning to paywalled sources of information that gatekeeping essential data needed for accurate reporting practices is not okay. These models of free information should set an example for such databases going forward.
