JOURNAL LAUNCH. PeerJ launches with its first batch of 30 research articles. Screen shot from PeerJ website.

MANILA, Philippines - Open access journal service PeerJ hopes to change the academic publishing industry.

Publishing and accessing academic papers online have been perceived as expensive ventures for academics, researchers, and students.

PeerJ seeks to solve it. It is making peer-reviewed research easily accessible and free to readers, as well as significantly less expensive for academics to get reviewed.

It recently launched its first set of 30 research articles for people to read for free. Most of the materials deal with Biological Sciences, Medical Sciences, and Health Sciences.

While most of the journal articles will only interest people in those particular fields, entertaining and informative papers may be found. Rappler spotted "Perceptual elements in Penn & Teller’s 'Cups and Balls' magic trick" by Hector Rieiro, Susana Martinez-Conde, and Stephen L. Macknik.

Techdirt notes a major shift in the models between traditional academic publishing online and PeerJ's model. Other journals ask for anywhere from $1,350 to up to $5000, PeerJ asks only for a $99 base membership fee.

With a drive to make research open and accessible, a low asking price for basic membership, and the support of almost 800 academic editors and a 20-member advisory board, PeerJ wants to serve academia in a way that breaks through existing models of research online. - Rappler.com