How to Comply With Open-Access Journal Policies

• In Event: Open Science Basics: Training for Education Researchers

Abstract

This presentation will provide a general overview of effective practices for publishing in open access journals for scholars seeking to implement that practice in their research studies. It will be designed for scholars who have limited experience with open science, but are looking to engage in more transparent research practices.

What is open access publishing? How does it fit into the traditional landscape of academic publishing?

Open access publishing is a set of principles and associated practices designed to support dissemination of scholarly research to the public without imposing costs or other barriers to free access. Open access publishing can lead to one’s work being read and recognized by a broader, often worldwide, audience. It also supports equity by not restricting access to only those readers who have an academic affiliation with a subscribing institution, including readers in less developed countries whose educational institutions may not be able to afford paid subscriptions to every journal their faculty and students may wish to read.

Broadly stated, there are three routes authors can pursue to make their work available via open access. One, individual articles can be made open access within most traditional journals by paying a fee to the publisher at the time the article is accepted [example: Gifted Child Quarterly, published by Sage, offers SAGE Choice for this purpose]. Two, articles can be published in a journal that is entirely open access and is published online [example: Education Policy Analysis Archives, published by ASU]. Three, authors can publish their own manuscript as a preprint, in an archive, or on their personal web page; the latter usually must be the manuscript copy accepted for publication, and not the publisher’s typeset version of the work.

We first outline and address the advantages and disadvantages of each of these options, sharing some representative policies from publishers and guidance drawn from our own experience as journal editors, and then discuss tips for authors who wish to engage in more transparent practices. We also briefly discuss the role of badges and other incentives in supporting open science publishing practices, and our own experience as Editors implementing open science practices in an academic journal.

Authors

• Jill L. Adelson, Adelson Research & Consulting, LLC
  Presenting Author

• Michael S. Matthews, University of North Carolina - Charlotte
  Presenting Author