Free Science Journal Debuts

Open-access publisher Public Library of Science has launched PLoS ONE, a free online journal that welcomes submissions from all fields of science and medicine. The journal is starting with a bang, publishing 100 research articles to mark its debut. PLoS hopes that the journal's inclusiveness will prompt readers to make connections between subjects that might not appear related at first glance.

Harold E. Varmus, cofounder and chair of the board of PLoS and president of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, says the launch is "tremendously exciting. This is the moment when we seize the full potential of the Internet to make communication of research findings an interactive and fully accessible process that gives greater value to what we do as scientists."

PLoS is relying on an unusual model for its new journal. Submissions are reviewed by an editorial board prior to publication. Reviewers check whether a paper is "technically sound," not whether it meets the usual journal criteria of significant impact or interest. Accepted papers posted on the journal's website are accompanied by board members' comments. After publication, readers can post remarks about a paper.

"In PLoS ONE, as soon as an article is published, a conversation between authors and readers can begin," the publisher notes. "Now there is a way to share not only the results of research but also the responses, ideas, and opinions of fellow researchers. There might be a question about a method that is described in the article, a link to another useful work or resource that can be added, or an alternative interpretation that can be offered for some of the results."

PLoS ONE expects to publish papers within 14 days of acceptance. Authors pay a publication fee of $1,250, which can be waived for those who can't afford it.