Open Access publishing is a shift in traditional publishing with many upsides, including increased transparency and greater access to educational knowledge. However, authors interested in publishing Open Access need to be aware of potential challenges. This section will provide links to resources that will help navigate the open access publishing landscape.
For more information, also check our LibGuide on Scholarly Publishing.
The Gold Standard of Open Access publishing requires the researchers pay for an Article Processing Charge to pay for costs incurred through publishing. These fees can range from 100s to 1000s of dollars.
ARTICLE PROCESSING CHARGES should only be requested for Open Access Publishing. Do not work with a journal that requests an APC if it is not an Open Access Journal or Hybrid Journal.
University of Akron students can take advantage of Read and Publish agreements to have the APC waived. For more information about the publishers with RAP agreements with UA, check out our Local RAP Agreements page.
Below are the journals eligible for RAP waivers, separated by publisher.
Journals without UA RAP Deals
There are also many journals outside of UA RAP agreements. To avoid paying a APC out-of-pocket, then consider what resources are available. Some researchers may be able to include APC when requesting the grant. Other researchers may be able to take advantages of other RAP affiliations through their co-authors. Some publishers also have policies for waiving or discounting the APC, available in more detail the links below.
When searching for an open access journal, be sure that the journal you select is legitimate. As with any new innovation, some bad actors attempt to use open access publishing in attempts to scam victims. Make sure the publisher is legitimate before agreeing to any contracts.
Resources for avoiding Predatory Publishers
Open Policy checker
Many federal grants will require the version of record be published Open Access. The below links will help you learn the necessary criteria.
Rights Retention
To meet requirements for some federal grant agencies, researchers will need to retain enough of their copyright to publish open access. Traditional publishing often asks authors to give up their copyright to an article, but open access gives authors leverage to maintain their intellectual property rights.
Rather than agreeing to a transfer of copyright, researchers should consider establishing a license can grant a publisher with the ability to distribution, republication, and display.
Copyright is never straightforward, and authors should always carefully read through contract language to know what they are agreeing to. Learn how to advocate for your rights.
Please note that some of the links refer to Plan S, which is the European initiative for author rights retention.