Scholarly Communication @ UTampa

CC BY-ND bepress

• Open Access publications have proven potential for greater citation
• Research is more discoverable
• Rapid publication
• Authors keep their copyright
• Taxpayers get access to tax-funded research
• Helps to eliminate inequalities in access to research
• Federal funders require Open Access

How can you choose a trusted journal for your research? No matter where you are publishing always Think. Check. Submit.

Think: Ask yourself, can you trust this journal with your research? Does the journal publish research you would read yourself?

Check: Is the organization or publisher of the journal identifiable? Can you contact them easily? 

For journals with publication fees (color charges, Open Access) - are the fees clearly listed on the publisher's website? Reputable publishers should list their fees clearly and publicly. 

Do you know the names or reputations of any of the editorial board members? 

Are the articles indexed in services you use within your subject area?

Submit: If you can answer yes to these questions, then submit!

Check out this guide for more information about predatory open access publishers.

Types of Open Access Materials - Scholarly Publishing Models

Green Open Access

Also referred to as self-archiving, Green OA is the practice of placing a version of an author’s manuscript into a digital repository, making it freely accessible for everyone. Green OA archives do not require article processing charges (APCs) and are not necessarily subject to peer-review. The University of Tampa Institutional Repository ( (UoTIR) is an example of a Green OA archive. 

Gold Open Access

Journals that offer Gold Open Access do not charge subscription fees and the authors need to pay article processing charges (APCs) to cover publication costs. The final version of an article is freely and permanently accessible for everyone immediately after publication. Copyright for the article is retained by the authors and most of the permission barriers are removed. Gold OA articles can be published either in fully OA journals or in hybrid journals.

Diamond (or Platinum) Open Access 

Journals that are published and distributed with no fees to either the reader, the author, or any institution. 

Hybrid Open Access

A type of journal in which some articles are published Open Access and others articles are not. Hybrid journals are typically longstanding journals that provide an Open Access option and charge subscription fees.