"Open" for questions: A curated list of OA queries we've answered
The theme of Open Access Week 2020 is Open with Purpose: Taking Action to Build Structural Equity and Inclusion. The theme is perhaps the overarching premise of the open access (OA) movement itself, which came about to make research more accessible and therefore more inclusive. The event will no doubt see rich discussions around various aspects of OA. But here on Editage Insights, we see engaging discussions around OA through the year, especially on our Q&A Forum. We have curated some of the most purposeful discussions of the year – in the form of researcher queries and our responses – around a range of OA-related topics like hybrid journals, article processing charge (APC) waiver, indexing, appropriate use, and even journal launches. Read on and tell us if the list included any questions that were on your mind.
1. Do any OA journals publish for free?
If you are an emerging researcher, you are eager to share your research with as many people as possible. OA publishing proves a great medium for doing so. But what if you can’t afford the APCs? Here’s how we advised one such researcher to proceed: Could you provide a list of open access (OA) publishers that publish articles free of cost?
2. Can APCs be waived?
Here’s another researcher who wished to know if OA publishing could be free, this time in a hybrid journal, which offers a mix of OA and paywalled articles. Were you aware that APCs can we waived based on certain criteria? Know more here: Can publishing in a hybrid open choice journal be free for authors?
3. Can choosing ‘Open Access’ be changed?
As a first-time research author, who is probably not familiar with APCs and hybrid journals, what if you mistakenly chose ‘Open Access’ during submission? Can you “undo” the choice? Find out here: What should I do if I mistakenly chose 'Open Access' when submitting my manuscript?
4. Is OA a faster route to acceptance?
A popular notion among many researchers is that OA publishing offers a swifter path to publication with a higher rate of acceptance. Is that what journal acceptance is based upon? Know more here: When submitting to a hybrid journal, does choosing open access (OA) or not make a difference to the acceptance rate?
5. Is mid-revision withdrawal possible?
What if you are doubtful of some part of the review by an OA journal? Can you withdraw your manuscript mid-revision? Should you? Know the various points to consider here: Can I withdraw my paper if I feel distrustful of the review?
6. How do OA journals fare on quality?
Are some OA journals of questionable quality… or even predatory? That’s what one researcher wanted to know. What do we have to say? Know here: Is it common for a non-researcher to work as an editor?
7. Can changes be made after a paper’s publication?
This researcher came across a paper based on their paper, but with no citation provided. They mailed the journal editor about the lapse, and also decided to check with us. Their concern probably came from the understanding that with an OA journal, the paper is accessible to a lot more readers, and it may therefore not be appropriate to correct the citation error after so many readers have already gone through the paper. Here’s our response: In open access (OA) journals, is modification possible even after publication?
8. How soon does a published OA article appear on PubMed?
Soon after their paper gets published in a journal indexed in PubMed, researchers wish to know when the paper will also appear on PubMed. Especially in the case of an OA journal, their eagerness is due to the greater reach offered by the combination of an OA journal and PubMed. So, this instance of a non-appearance was puzzling. Know more: What should I do if papers published after mine in the same journal have appeared on PubMed but not mine?
9. Is OA content also open for commercial use?
This user, who works at the intersection of science and marketing, wanted to use the content from articles published in OA journals and send them out as a paid newsletter. They were basing their intentions on the assumption that as the content appeared in an OA journal, it was open to all uses. Is this understanding accurate? What are the various aspects to consider in such a situation? Read here: Can I send journal contents as a paid e-newsletter if I summarize them in my own words?
10. What should be the growth targets for a new regional OA journal?
What is the growth and readership a newly launched regional OA journal can hope to achieve in its initial years? Our response covered the suite of considerations: abstracting, indexing, atlmetrics, and statistics. Learn more here: What are typical metrics and trajectories for newly launched open access (OA) journals that are regionally focused?
We hope you found this curated list of questions and responses helpful and an illuminating read. Do you have any question on OA that you have been seeking an answer for? Drop your question here or read the articles below for guidance:
- The basics of open access publishing [Infographic]
- Open access: Myth versus fact [Video]
- A young researcher's guide to open access publishing
Image courtesy Pexels at Pixabay
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