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Publishing

What is Open Access

"Open Access stands for unrestricted access and unrestricted reuse. With Open Access, researchers can read and build on the findings of others without restriction. Much scientific and medical research is paid for with public funds. Open Access allows taxpayers to see the results of their investment. Open Access means that teachers and their students have access to the latest research findings throughout the world."  Source: Public Library of Science.

Types of Open Access

There are a number of types or levels of open access. This is often determined by individual publishers.

  • Green Open Access: self-archiving your accepted manuscript in an open and free to access institutional repository (like Fisher Digital Publications). Publishers or journals that allow for immediate deposit of scholarship in an institutional or subject repository are Green Open Access. An embargo period usually applies. 
  • Gold Open Access: publishing your "version of record" or official work on the publisher or journal's website. Usually fees (frequently called Article Processing Fees/Charges) are paid by the author or institution to make work freely available. 
  • Diamond Open Access: like gold open access, your work is immediately open access in a journal, but without any fees paid by the you/the author or institution.

Why Open Access

Learn about Open Access

This video was created by Natalie Ross and Anna Standish. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

SPARC (Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition) Director of Programs and Engagement Nick Shockey and Professor Jonathan A. Eisen talk about the impact of Open Access. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. 

Evaluating Open Access Journals

  • Evaluate an Open Access journal: Consider pros and cons of OA publishing, and find different places to publish material with the help of a guide from Duquesne's University Gumberg Library.  
     
  • How open is it?: Discover the openness of a potential journawith this rubric from SPARC and PLOS. 
     
  • Learn more: View the Selecting a Journal tab of this guide, or by email your librarians for more help! 

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