Open Access, Publishing Models & Journal Selection

• Gold: The author submits the scholarly work to a publisher who will provide Open Access output immediately with no embargo period (waiting time). It includes APCs. Check out Elsevier's journals video about gold journals.
• Hybrid: They are traditional journals (funded by subscriptions) that offer authors the option to make their individual article Open Access. This option will have an additional fee.
• Green: The author has archived versions of the scholarly work, usually in an institutional repository-IR such as Clemson Open. IRs can distribute material published in other venues, depending on copyright agreements. They can also serve as a platform to publish unique materials (Books, Posters, or other types of scholarship). In addition, many IRs support online e-journal publication.
• Diamond: The author submits the scholarly work to be published OA without APCs for both authors and readers, such as DIAMAS Project.

• To choose your OA publishing track:
  • Decide which publishing model (gold, green, hybrid, or diamond) you want for your scholarly work.
  • Consider the following points:
    • Timing: What time frame do you want for your research? 
    • Your research visibility: depending on the time frame that you have chosen.
    • Cost: Are there APCs? Can Clemson Libraries support your article's APC?
    • License: How can others reuse your scholarly work? Check here to identify different types of OA publishing licensing.
    • Your funder: If you have a grant, does it require/approve of OA publishing?
  • Choose your journal's reputation here
  • Submit your manuscript and follow up your work. 
  • Check for chances for funding your article's APCs through Transformative Agreements-TA or the Open Access Publishing Fund-OAPF
  • Promote your work when accepted: When you promote your work, it ensures reaches the widest possible audience. it Increases your visibility, enhance citations and impact, engage stakeholders, support career advancement, and Attract potential collaborators who discover your work. 

If you are ready to publish, here are some steps:   

• Prepare your manuscript: Follow your OA journal's guidelines section for authors to ensure that your manuscript meets the publication's formatting, scope, and submission requirements.
• Check your funding support offered by Clemson libraries here.  
• Submit your work to the Journal that selected for OA publishing.   
• Select strong keywords for more visibility and discoverability.
• Use your digital IDs: make sure you use your ORCID, author ID, and Web of Science (aka publons) when submitting your scholarly work. This practice ensures that your scholarly work is accurately connected to you, no matter where or how it's published. 
• Track your research impact. learn more about this here