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Writing & Publishing

What is Open Access?

What is Open Access?

Open Access (OA) refers to freely available, digital, online information. This can include literature, data, media, and creative works. Scholarly literature that is OA is free of charge, and allows reading, downloading, printing, distributing, using the articles or data for analysis, and all other legitimate uses. 

Many OA journals adhere to well-established peer review processes and maintain high publishing standards. 

 

The Truth about Open Access

OA content is often misunderstood. A persistent myth surroundings OA is that its content, publishers, and publications are less reputable than their non-OA counterparts. For the most part, this is untrue. Legitimate OA publishers and publications actively strive to hold themselves to the same rigorous peer review standards expected of their non-OA counterparts. Directories for OA journals do their best to monitor and curate their content to ensure that only reputable titles are included among their listings.

 

More information on Open Access:

Open Acces: Criteria to consider

When deciding to publishing in an Open Access journal, it is important to consider the following:

  • Is the journal listed in the Directory of Open Access Journals?
  • Is the journal indexed in a reputable database such as PubMed, Scopus. or Ulrich's Web?
    • Is the journal listed on a blacklist such as Beall's, Cabell's, or Stop Predatory Journals?
  • Assess the information on the journal's website. Be sure to examine:
    • Aim and scope of the journal
    • Editorial board's credentials
    • Author guidelines
    • Any affiliations
    • Articles indexed in their archive, if there is one
    • Contact information for the journal - is there a phone number, email address, and physical address listed? 
      • Is there only a contact form?
    • Copyright information for authors
  • Are author fees clearly indicated?
  • Is the publisher a listed member of a reputable organization such as the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) or Open Access Scholarly Publisher's Association?

Refer to ThinkCheckSubmit for more information on how to evaluate the quality and credibility of a journal.

Adapted from Paul Blobaum's Checklist for Review of Journal Quality, Governor's State University.

Resources:

Open Access Journal Blacklists and Whitelists

Open Access Directories
Blacklists and whitelists of open access journals and publishers