By Lilian H. Hill
Open access (OA) publishing is a scholarly publishing model that enables research products to be distributed online, free of cost or other access barriers. Open-access publishing represents a significant shift in disseminating academic research, aiming to remove the obstacles to access and improve the visibility and impact of scholarly work. While it presents some challenges, the benefits of enhanced accessibility and dissemination are driving its continued adoption and evolution. If you have ever wished to download an article only to learn that the publisher requires you to pay $36.00, you can appreciate the benefits of open-access publishing.
Springer Nature (2024), an international research, educational, and professional publisher, describes OA as the free and immediate online availability of research products like journal articles or books and the right to fully utilize these outputs in a digital context. OA content is accessible to everyone without any access fees. Open research extends beyond publications to include all research outputs, such as data, code, and open peer reviews. Ensuring all research outputs are as open and accessible as possible can enhance the impact of research and contribute to solving some of the world's most significant challenges.
Researchers, students, and the public worldwide can access scientific literature without the barrier of subscription fees, leading to a more equitable distribution of knowledge. Educational institutions, especially in developing countries, can access up-to-date research materials, enhancing the quality of education and research. OA is increasingly supported by governments, funding agencies, and academic institutions worldwide, recognizing its critical role in advancing science and society.
OA publishing has evolved from a niche movement to a significant force in academic publishing, driven by the principles of accessibility, equity, and transparency. While challenges remain, the ongoing development of policies, technologies, and collaborative efforts continues to shape the future of scholarly communication.
U.S. Federal Expectations for Open Access
The U.S. federal government is taking substantial steps to promote OA in research. In the summer of 2022, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) attracted national attention with its new directive that, by 2026, research funded by all federal agencies must be made freely and immediately available to the public without any embargo (Brainard & Kaiser, 2022). Ultimately, this research is funded by the taxpayers.
The new directive will introduce three significant changes:
· Eliminating the 12-month delay before research publications funded by the largest federal agencies are accessible to the public,
· Mandating that both federally funded research publications and their underlying data be publicly accessible at the time of publication and
· Ensuring all federal agencies adhere to this open-access publishing policy.
In addition to federal funding, many research-funding organizations, such as foundations, now require grant recipients to make their published research results openly accessible. In some instances, they provide specific guidelines for implementing this mandate. Additionally, many of these organizations offer financial support to cover the publication costs associated with open access (Dreher, 2020).
Key Features of OA Publishing
Features to look for in OA publishing include free accessibility, licensing, open-access types, and the major platforms and initiatives. These are described below.
Free Accessibility
· Research articles, data, and other scholarly outputs are freely available to anyone with an internet connection.
· This contrasts with traditional publishing models, where access is restricted to subscribers or those who pay for individual articles.
Licensing
· Open-access works are often published under Creative Commons licenses, allowing varying degrees of reuse and redistribution. Creative Commons (2024) is an international nonprofit organization that supports a global movement built on a belief in the power of open access to knowledge and creativity.
· A Creative Commons (CC) license is a public copyright license that allows for the free distribution of a copyrighted work. Authors use CC licenses to grant others the right to share, use, and build upon their creations.
· CC licenses offer authors flexibility in how their work can be used (for example, they may permit only non-commercial uses) and protect those who use or redistribute the work from copyright infringement, provided they adhere to the conditions outlined in the license.
Types of Open Access
· Gold Open Access: Articles are freely available on the publisher's website immediately upon publication. The author or their institution often pays an article processing charge (APC).
· Green Open Access: Authors self-archive a version of their manuscript in an institutional or subject repository. This version is often a preprint or the accepted manuscript after peer review but before the publisher's typesetting.
· Hybrid Open Access: Traditional subscription-based journals offer authors the option of making their individual articles open access by paying an APC.
Major Platforms and Initiatives
· Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ): This is a comprehensive directory that indexes high-quality, peer-reviewed open access journals.
· arXiv is a preprint repository for physics, mathematics, computer science, quantitative biology, quantitative finance, and statistics.
· PubMed Central (PMC): A free biomedical and life sciences journal literature archive.
Reasons to Publish Open Access
Choosing to publish OA
offers several benefits that can significantly impact researchers, their work,
and the broader scientific community. Here are seven key reasons why one might
opt for OA publishing:
1. Increased Visibility and Reach
OA publications are freely accessible to anyone with internet access, not just those affiliated with institutions that can afford subscription fees. This broadens the potential audience to include researchers from underfunded institutions, policymakers, practitioners, educators, and the public. Studies have shown that OA articles tend to be cited more frequently than those behind paywalls, as they are more readily available to many readers.
2. Enhanced Impact
Making research findings freely available ensures that they can be quickly and easily accessed and used by practitioners, educators, and policymakers, potentially leading to faster application of research to real-world problems. OA allows the general public to access scholarly work, fostering greater public understanding and engagement with science.
3. Compliance with Funding Requirements
Many funding agencies and institutions require that research funded by them be made openly accessible. Publishing OA helps researchers comply with these mandates and avoid potential conflicts or delays in funding.
4. Ethical Considerations
OA promotes equity by ensuring researchers and readers from low- and middle-income countries access the same information as wealthier institutions. This can help bridge the knowledge gap and foster more inclusive and diverse scientific dialogue. The ethos of OA aligns with the principle that publicly funded research should be a public good, accessible to all without barriers.
5. Control and Flexibility
OA publishing often involves Creative Commons licenses, allowing authors to retain more control over their work than traditional publishing. Authors can specify how others can use their work, enabling broader dissemination and reuse while maintaining attribution. OA works are often deposited in repositories that ensure long-term preservation and accessibility, safeguarding the research against loss or obsolescence.
6. Collaboration and Innovation
Freely accessible research can foster collaboration across disciplines and geographical boundaries, leading to more interdisciplinary and innovative research. OA accelerates the pace of scientific discovery by removing barriers to access, allowing researchers to build on each other's work more rapidly and efficiently.
7. Professional Advancement
Increasingly, institutions and peers recognize the value of OA publications. Publishing OA can enhance a researcher’s visibility and reputation within their field. OA journals often provide detailed metrics on article views, downloads, and citations, which can be useful for career progression, grant applications, and performance reviews.
Challenges in OA Publishing
While there are many advantages, it's also essential to consider the potential challenges associated with OA publishing. The cost of APCs can be a barrier for researchers, particularly those who need more institutional support or from low-income regions. An ongoing debate exists about funding open-access publishing sustainably without compromising quality or access. The rise of predatory journals, which exploit the open-access model without providing rigorous peer review, has raised concerns about the quality and credibility of some open-access publications. It’s crucial to choose reputable OA journals to ensure quality and credibility.
OA publishing can offer substantial benefits regarding visibility, impact, and compliance with funding requirements while also aligning with ethical principles of equity and accessibility. Researchers should weigh these advantages against potential challenges and make informed decisions based on their specific circumstances and goals.
References
Brainard, J., & Kaiser, J. (2022, August). White House requires immediate public access to all U.S.-funded research papers by 2025: Policy is a blow to journal paywalls, but its impact on publishing is unclear. https://www.science.org/content/article/white-house requires-immediate-public-access-all-u-s--funded-research-papers-2025
Creative Commons (2024), Better sharing, brighter future. https://creativecommons.org/
Dreher, L. (2020). Open-Access-Vorgaben in EU-Projekten, open-access.network. https://doi.org/10.5446/48698
Springer Nature (2024). The fundamentals of open access and open research. https://www.springernature.com/gp/open-research/about/the-fundamentals-of-open-access-and-open-research