How the 3PO Index Score is Calculated
The 3PO Index Score evaluates the openness, accessibility, and impact of open-access journals. The calculation is based on ten weighted factors to ensure fairness and transparency.
📌 3PO Index Formula
3PO = ((FR × 20) + (FP × 20) + (CC × 15) + (DOI × 10) + min(SC/10, 10) + (ORCID × 10) + (OA × 20) + (SAC × 15) + (RDPE × 15) + (TEP × 10)) / 5
📊 Scoring Breakdown
| Metric | Description | Maximum Points |
|---|---|---|
| Free to Read (FR) | Is all content freely available without login? | 20 |
| Free to Publish (FP) | Are authors allowed to publish without fees? | 20 |
| Creative Commons (CC) | Does the journal use a Creative Commons license? | 15 |
| Provides DOI (DOI) | Are all articles assigned a DOI? | 10 |
| Scholar Citations (SC) | How often are works cited? | Up to 10 |
| ORCID Presence | Does the journal integrate ORCID iDs? | 10 |
| Open Accessibility Score (OA) | Are extra features like open peer review available? | 20 |
| Social & Alternative Citations (SAC) | Does the journal have strong social engagement? | 15 |
| Research Discovery & Public Engagement (RDPE) | How widely is research shared? | 15 |
| Transparency & Ethical Publishing (TEP) | Does it follow ethical publishing practices? | 10 |
📌 Category Breakdown
| 3PO Score Range | Category | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 200+ | Highly Open | Fully open-access, transparent, widely recognized. |
| 150 - 199 | Partially Open | Some minor restrictions or barriers exist. |
| Below 150 | Closed Access | Significant restrictions on accessibility. |
🔍 Why Some Platforms Score Higher?
Platforms like arXiv, bioRxiv, OSF Preprints score higher because they:
- ✅ Require no fees for authors or readers
- ✅ Have strong academic credibility
- ✅ Are widely cited in Google Scholar
- ✅ Follow ethical publishing practices
🚀 Final Thoughts
Even though Pyrrhic Press is not #1, our **completely free** publishing model ensures that all scholars retain full ownership and accessibility to their work. Unlike commercial open-access journals, we **never charge fees**, making research truly open for all.