Scholarly Publishing & Open Access
One area in which many graduate students feel anxiety is the process of publishing scholarly research for the first time. Luckily, the Libraries and its staff are here to help Links to an external site., from explaining the world of scholarly publishing to counseling you through some of the confusing choices that can come with selecting a journal venue or signing a contract.
What is Scholarly Publishing?
Scholarly Publishing is a term that encompasses the system through which research results and writing are created, evaluated, disseminated, and preserved for future use. The academic publishing system is currently in a state of rapid flux, driven by new technologies, the low marginal costs of online distribution, and changing reader expectations. These changes add a definite complexity to the scholarly publishing landscape, but the also point to new opportunities for customizing how you publish and share your research.
Examples of Scholarly Publishing Questions
- What is the process of submitting a scholarly article?
- How do I find and select a journal to publish my article?
- What do I need to know about publishing contracts?
- What platform should I use to create my digital project?
- How should I store my research data for future sharing?
- What are my options for limiting or maximizing access to my research?
Scholarly Publishing & Open Access
"Open Access" is a term that refers to freely available, digital, online information. Open access research is free of charge and often carries less restrictive copyright and licensing barriers than traditionally published works, both for users and for authors.
Open Access also refers to a movement Links to an external site. that grew in response to an increasing awareness that the traditional system of scholarly publishing system no longer meets the needs of scholars and the wide range audiences who could benefit from research. Making research openly available by bringing articles out from behind publisher paywalls has benefits for individual researchers, the wider research community, and the public at large.
- Note: Increasingly, institutions that support research are implementing policies that require affiliated researchers to make their data and resulting articles openly accessible and fully useable by the public. Examples include research funded by certain US federal agencies Links to an external site., as well as research published by faculty at some universities Links to an external site.
While open access is a newer form of scholarly publishing, many open journals comply with well-established peer-review processes and maintain high publishing standards. Ask your librarian or mentor for more information about open access journals in your field.
Implications for you
- Browse open journals and consider publish your own research openly.
- Ask publishers about their access and copyright policies. What rights will you retain for your work?
- Learn about your right to submit research to an institutional repository so that future researchers can have access, and your writing will stay part of the conversation.
For more information, visit the Scholarly Publishing and Open Access Guide or schedule an appointment with a Scholarly Publishing Librarian Links to an external site..