The current consultation on Open Access (OA) policy for the next Research Excellence Framework (REF) includes a proposal concerning long-form research outputs.
This has sparked a lively debate, and the higher education funding bodies are looking forward to a wide range of input and evidence that will allow the proposals to be revised and refined.
This is a genuine consultation, seeking to balance the encouragement of OA with ensuring that all disciplines continue to thrive.
Monographs and other long-form outputs are central to research in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. This is reflected in the publishing practices of researchers in these disciplines and, of course, in the outputs that are submitted for assessment in the REF.
