Climbing Atop the Publication Paywall: The Impact of Submission Fees on Researchers and Journals

Abstract

Submission fees have become increasingly common in academic journals within the field of economics. In this paper, I investigate what are the consequences of the rise of submissions fees for the different actors at play in the publication arena. Using a regression discontinuity, I find that the introduction of submission charges decreases the publication chances for junior researchers and those affiliated with lower ranked universities. I then assess if the quality of journals is negatively impacted by the fees, using citations as a proxy for quality. My results indicate that the journals introducing submission charges do not experience a drop in the number of citations. Additionally, I examine whether these journals become more efficient in the publication process. I find that the time from submission to (online) publication does not change significantly after the introduction of the fees. Finally, I observe a significant change in the topics that are covered in the journals. My results show that the most common JEL codes become less frequent once the fees are implemented.