Open Access publishing can be confusing for new professionals and tenured faculty alike, but it doesn't have to be. This guide has been created to help you navigate the process of publishing your work openly and/or archiving a copy of your research in an open repository.
Open Knowledge & Research Impact Librarian
"Open Access" (OA) is a term usually applied to academic or scholarly writing that is published in a way that is freely available for anyone to read.
Practically speaking, this usually means the digital document is available for download and is not stored behind a paywall that requires the reader to purchase access, whether individually or through subscription. Often, authors and/or publishers will apply a Creative Commons license to an OA publication to explain which rights are reserved and which uses are available to readers. Although a growing number of academic books are published OA, it is most commonly encountered when publishing in academic journals.
Although related both philosophically and practically, OA publications are distinct from "open educational resources," (OER). Although both OA publications and OER both benefit the common good by making information available through openly-licensed means, OER are generally meant to serve as educational tools for instructional purposes (like a textbook, test bank, or instructional video), whereas OA publications are meant to present original ideas about an area of expertise in conversation with other scholars. OER might include information and excerpts from OA publications, but are not usually referred to as "open access" themselves. For more information on OER, check out our OER LibGuide.
Why publish open access?
There are a number of compelling reasons why someone might choose to publish open access, including:
- The well-documented advantage in average citations received by open access publications as compared to pay-walled publications.
- Federal funder requirements for grant recipients to share their research outputs publicly.
- A belief that profiting from the proprietary control of information is unethical when that information is intended for the common good.
- A desire to share meaningful research with as many people as possible.
In addition to sources linked throughout the text, this guide drew structure and information from "Open Access Publishing: Where to Start" by Abby Elder.
