Assessing the Development in Open Access Publishing in Archaeology: A Case Study From Norway

Abstract:  This article examines open access (OA) publishing within archaeology by using Norway as a case study. The authors present data on research publications (n = 1,517) produced by archaeologists at Norwegian universities between 2010 and 2021 and classified according to their OA status. The aim is to analyze trends in OA publishing during this period and assess how it aligns with official policies and initiatives from lawmakers, funders, and institutions. The findings indicate a growing proportion of OA publications, with scientific journals emerging as the primary publishing platform during the period. The archaeological publications are also compared with other academic sectors, and the study reveals that the field of archaeology is progressing toward OA at a fast rate compared to the broader humanities sector but slower compared to other academic sectors. The authors suggest that the increasing prevalence of OA publications can primarily be attributed to national and institutional guidelines, rather than changes in researcher behavior, although this works in tandem.