Open publishing, or open access (OA), refers to free, permanent, and cost-free access to scholarly online publications. The models of open publishing vary in terms of costs for readers and authors, retention of copyright, and peer review. The accompanying Venn diagram illustrates the different models of open publishing:
Picture: Jamie-farquharson, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
- Green Open Access, or parallel publishing (self-archiving), with the publisher’s permission in an open repository.
- A cost-free way to make a publication openly available to everyone, even if it was originally published behind a paywall.
- Self-archived versions can be either the publisher's version or the author’s final peer-reviewed manuscript (AAM – Author Accepted Manuscript).
- Depending on the publisher's terms, an article can be self-archived immediately or after an embargo period. The embargo (delay) can range from 6–12 months or even several years.
- A repository can be an institutional repository, such as the University of Turku’s research information system, or a discipline-specific repository, such as Europe PMC or arXiv. ResearchGate or similar networking platforms do not qualify as Green OA self-archiving. Instructions for self-archiving in the University of Turku’s research information system can be found separately in this guide.
- Self-archived copies stored on personal websites do not meet funders' open access requirements and do not ensure the permanent preservation of the documents.
- Depositing publications in an institutional research information system ensures their long-term preservation, regardless of what happens to the publisher or journal in the future.
- Gold Open Access – publishing in an open access journal.
- Publishing usually requires a publication fee (APC – Article Processing Charge), but it can also be free of charge. Gold OA journals do not charge subscription fees.
- In gold OA journals, all articles are immediately and permanently available to everyone in full open access.
- The article is the publisher’s version or the so-called Version of Record (VoR).
- Publications include an open access license (e.g., Creative Commons – CC), which defines reuse rights in more detail.
- A subcategory is bronze OA, where articles are freely available on the publisher’s platform but do not have an open access license.
- Diamond Open Access – publishing without subscription or author fees.
- Diamond OA publishing platforms often have a communal, non-commercial background. Publishing and the maintenance of the platform or journal are funded by a host institution without costs for readers or authors. Funding may also come from support grants or membership fees
- In recent years, efforts to promote this model have been led by organizations such as UNESCO.
- Publishing practices follow the same principles as gold OA.
- Delayed Open Access (delayed OA) refers to articles becoming openly available on the publisher’s platform or with the publisher’s permission after an embargo period (publication delay).
- The delay in open publishing typically ranges from 6–12 months, but it can extend to several years.
- Hybrid Open Access refers to purchasing open access for an article in an otherwise subscription-based journal.
- Open publishing in a hybrid journal requires the payment of a publication fee.
- Articles purchased for open access are available to everyone, but other articles in the journal are only accessible to subscribers.
- Hybrid OA publishing is not recommended, as it results in paying twice for the same journal content. Some research funders prohibit publishing in hybrid journals, while others allow publishing in hybrid journals through "transformative agreements." Transformative agreements are subscription models for academic journals, where the publishing costs are included in the university's license fee, and authors are not charged publication fees.
