Open Access Basics
UNESCO defines materials as open access (OA) if they have the following qualifications:
- "its content is universally and freely accessible, at no cost to the reader, via the Internet or otherwise;
- the author or copyright owner irrevocably grants to all users, for an unlimited period, the right to use, copy, or distribute the article, on condition that proper attribution is given;
- it is deposited, immediately, in full and in a suitable electronic form, in at least one widely and internationally recognized open access repository committed to open access."
Why Publish OA?
For you as an author:
- OA publications receive a wider audience, increasing the potential for more readers and citations.
- OA publications become immediately discoverable and accessible on the open web.
Contributing OA works to repositories like our institutional repository ScholarWorks, is also an important way to meet grant funding requirements that
From a global perspective:
Open Access (OA) has the potential to shift the academic publishing world by creating a more equitable way to share and access scholarly work at no cost. OA presents many advantages to the global academic community:
- Unlocks high-quality research for scholars, students, and researchers around the world who don't have the fin
- Promotes the active engagement of scholars from underrepresented regions, nations, language groups, and ethnicities that have traditionally been excluded from the academic publishing paradigm
- Allow for a global audience of scholars, researchers, and students to engage with high-quality, peer-reviewed material that would otherwise be locked behind a subscription paywall.
For more benefits of OA publishing, visit the links below:
- Open Access by Peter Suber"In this concise introduction, Peter Suber tells us what open access is and isn't, how it benefits authors and readers of research, how we pay for it, how it avoids copyright problems, how it has moved from the periphery to the mainstream, and what its future may hold."
- Open Access DirectoryConsists of simple lists about open access to science and scholarship with brief descriptions.
Finding OA Journals
The Directory of Open Access Journals and Ulrich's Periodical Directory are two helpful resources for locating OA journals for your publications. If you are not finding what you need there, please consult with Michaela Keating- mckeating@fullerton.edu
- Directory of Open Access JournalsDOAJ is a community-curated online directory that indexes and provides access to high quality, open access, peer-reviewed journals.
- Ulrich's Periodical DirectoryDirectory of academic journals, e-journals, popular magazines, and newspapers. Helps determine the peer-review status of a publication.
While predatory publishing can be a concern for those looking to publish OA, there are many resources available to help you evaluate journals and publishers. The resources linked below can help you determine if a journal of interest is suitable for your research:
- Think. Check. Submit."Helps researchers identify trusted journals and publishers for their research. Through a range of tools and practical resources, this international cross-sector initiative aims to educate researchers, promote integrity, and build trust in credible research and publications.
- Open Access Journal Quality IndicatorsDeveloped by Grand Valley State University, this list clearly outlines positive and negative indicators for OA journals.