Open Access at the Library

Resources for helping to identify reputable Open Access journals:

Authors may choose to publish in the journal of their choice and deposit an author accepted manuscript of their work in a repository, such as e-scholar, if permitted by the publisher.

Copyright is automatically assigned to the author upon the creation of a work, though authors can transfer their copyrights. Publishers usually ask for transfer of all copyrights through a Copyright Transfer Agreement (CTA) in order to publish books or articles, but authors do not need to transfer all copyrights for publication to occur. Publishers really only need the rights to distribute. Be aware of author rights and consider using an addendum to preserve author rights.

Consider using a Creative Commons License for items in open access journals or repositories. Creative Commons licensing does not replace copyright, but encourages creativity, sharing and innovation by allowing others to use work in certain ways without needing to ask for author permission while ensuring author acknowledgement.

The Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC) has created a number of resources that help authors to understand their rights and to help authors retain their rights. Download the SPARC Canadian author's addendum.

Adapted from the University of Lethbridge Library.

Before publishing work in a journal, ensure that the journal is assessed for quality and reliability. Deceptive publishing practices exist within the journal and conference community.

Think: Are you submitting your research to a trusted journal? Is it the right journal for your work?

• More research is being published worldwide
• New journals are launched each week.
• Stories of publisher malpractice and deception are also on the rise.
• It can be challenging to find up-to-date guidance when choosing where to publish.

Check:

• Do you or your colleagues know the journal? Have you read articles in the journal?
• Can you easily identify and contact the publisher? Is the publisher name clearly displayed on the website? Can you contact the publisher by telephone, email and post?
• Is the journal clear about the type of peer review it uses?
• Are articles indexed in services that you use?
• Is it clear that fees will be charged? Does the journal site explain what the fees are and when they will be charged?
• Do you recognize the editorial board? Do the editorial board mention the journal on their own websites?
• Is the publisher a member of a recognized industry initiative?

Submit: Submit your article only if you are confident you can answer 'yes' to most or all the questions.

• You need to be confident your chosen journal will have a suitable profile among your peers to enhance your reputation and your chance of gaining citations.
• Publishing in the right journal for your research will raise your professional profile, and help you progress in your career.
• Your paper should be indexed or archived and be easily discoverable.
• You should expect a professional publishing experience where your work is
  reviewed and edited.
• Only then should you submit your article.

Text from Think. Check. Submit. licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International.