Sharing scientific reprints through non-journal websites effectively creates a degree of open access, says Wren (p 1128). He searched the internet for articles that were published in 13 selected subscription journals and four open access journals between 1994 and 2004 and indexed in Medline. Articles published in higher impact journals and more recent articles were more likely to be shared at non-journal websites. Online availability was similar for open access journals and subscription journals with a mid-range impact factor. This indicates that the probability that a journal article is shared on a non-journal website depends less on copyright or ownership and more on impact factor or readership levels, says the author.
. 2005 May 14;330(7500):0.