Comment #54 Jessica Polka @ 2021-12-09 00:58

This review was written in collaboration with Inna Biryukova (0000-0003-0701-2808) & Pooja Mandke.

In “Open access in geochemistry from preprints to datasharing: past, present and future,” the authors discuss the latest advances regarding Open Access in the geochemistry community from non-peer reviewed preprints to findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable data. The authors provide their opinions on the most OA-friendly models from the existing publishing system and the future of preprints/postprints in geochemistry. They also point to the most interesting publicly available resources for research data and software sharing in geochemistry, giving the reader insight on accessibility of community resources. This paper offers a useful summary of current trends important to all fields, not just geochemistry, and poses some interesting questions in the final section.

In our review of the paper, we are limited by a lack of specific expertise in geochemistry. Nevertheless, we offer the following points that the authors may consider in improving the legibility of their manuscript. We acknowledge that some of the suggestions may expand the paper to introduce content that was not discussed at the conference session, which may conflict with the intentions of the authors.

Major points
- The introduction covers only OA journals, but the paper covers preprints & data sharing as well. A revised introduction might briefly touch on all these topics to better orient readers.
- Throughout the paper, it would be helpful to clarify whether the authors refer to a specific discipline or scholarship as a whole.

Minor points
- The illustration is wonderful. If it would be possible to process the image to make the background even, it could be more easily reused.
- In the section about OA trends on page 6, it may be helpful to provide general background first, then move to specific issues in geochemistry.
- What fraction of geochemistry articles are coming from China? A geographic breakdown would be helpful to understand the significance of trends relating, for example, to the move away from using JIF.
- Related to the point above, some European organizations are already not using impact factors - can anything be extrapolated from trends seen in those countries?
- Names of speakers could be explicitly mentioned in the acknowledgements.
- The preprint and scientific community would benefit if authors expressed their opinions on the prevalence of journal embargoes to free-to-read access and the relevance of the recent Plan S initiative for geochemistry.
- It might be worth including a line on research dissemination by promoting hybrid meetings and conferences (in parallel onsite and online).