Research Specifications

This paper reports the findings from a research project which focused on determining the factors influencing acceptance of open access journals (OAJs) among Iranian medical researchers. Low use of OAJs as a publishing media, especially in developing countries, could be a sign of low acceptance of it. However, it is still not clear what factors influence researchers to publish their scholarly outputs through this channel. This study used a survey design and a questionnaire as the data collection instrument. The sample comprised 367 clinical/basic science academic staff of medical schools at public medical universities in Iran. Results of hierarchical multiple regression indicate that out of the 14 predictors of intention to publish in OAJs, only experience, attitude, facilitating conditions and type of university were significant. Also, results of hi- erarchical multiple regression show that out of 14 predictors of self-reported publishing in OAJs, intention, social influence, attitude, academic rank, facilitating conditions, type of university and familiarity were significant key predictors. This study is significant in that it provided a description of the current status of OA among Iranian medical researchers. It also investigated the acceptance of OAJs among researchers based on a theoretical framework derived from the UTAUT model, as well as the inclusion of attitude and anxiety as dimensions influencing acceptance.