[GOAL] Still on the scientific open access journals in Brazil - response to Mister Jeffrey Beall

[bianca at ibict.br]

On 26 March, Mr. Jeffrey Beall, posted to this list a clear attempt to
disqualify the Brazilian scientific journals open access. Mr. Beall has
five (not six, and I can not say) links what he calls the academic open
access journals in Brazil. The links in question are the journalist
Mauricio Tuffani, published in the newspaper Folha de São Paulo.
All the materials analyze critically the evaluation system of Higher
Education Personnel Training Coordination (Capes) -the Ministry of
Education of Brazil-to journals that are included in its Brazilian Qualis
Periodicals database. It also criticizes the use of this database for
evaluation of Brazilian science in graduate programs.


Therefore, none of these materials provides elements for analyzing the
Brazilian scientific journals open access. Although these papers were
dealing with scientific journals open access, cause me also strange that an
experienced librarian as Mr. Beall dare define the situation of a country
building on 5/6 articles from the same source, that besides all has no
scientific basis, which is the case of the daily newspapers and in addition
to be written by a professional who is not a researcher.


I can accept that there are still people who stand against the open access
movement, but as a member of one of the main institutions that promote open
access in Brazil - Brazilian Institute of Information Science and
Technology (Ibict) - I can not accept that no one attempt tarnish the
golden road in the country. We know it is necessary to seek the increase in
the standard of quality in our magazines, but I think this is a quest that
must be constant not only in Brazil but also in all countries of the world.


It seemed so strange the post from Mr. Beall, and its demonstration of lack
of understanding of the content of the materials, which come to think that
the translation that was made to the English was not correct.


Anyone who is interested in open access data in Brazil'll be happy to help
her get them


Bianca Amaro


Brazilian Institute of Information Science and Technology (Ibict)