In order to select an open access publisher, you will
first need to know the range of open access publish-
ers available to you. For authors of articles, a good
place to start is the Directory of Open Access Journals
(“DOAJ”), an online directory that screens and indexes
over 10,000 peer-reviewed open access journals.41 You
may also consult the Open Access Scholarly Publishers
Association, whose membership includes both article
and monograph open access publishers.42 From there,
you should consider a number of factors to determine
which publisher, if any, best suits your needs,
including:
The Impact (Factor) of the Journal
Regardless of whether a journal is restricted or open
access, authors may find it important to consider the
journal’s “impact factor.” Generally, the impact factor
measures the frequency with which the average article
in a journal is cited over a particular period of time.
Many academics, including tenure committees, use this
metric as a proxy for the prestige, quality of scholar-
ship, and competitiveness of a given journal.
While impact factor comparisons currently favor
well-established, conventional publishers, alternative
metrics (sometimes referred to as “altmetrics”) have
recently emerged as a way to incorporate new data
sources—such as the number of downloads and page
views, media coverage, or even social media dissemina-
tion—to measure the impact of a journal or of a work in
light of recent technological developments.43 Authors
can use these alternative metrics to complement
citation-based metrics as a signal of the wide and
diverse impact of their works.44
Authors may also be able to find an open access journal
associated with a prominent conventional publisher in
their field, allowing them to enjoy the benefits of both a
well-respected brand and open access.
Although the development of alternative metrics
is promising, some authors may not want to put
important employment decisions at risk if their insti-
tutions heavily rely on journals’ impact factors. Authors
with a particular concern about impact factors may
alternatively consider publishing with a high-
impact-factor, conventional journal and negotiating to
retain the right to self-archive, as discussed in
Chapter 6. Some conventional publishers also offer
“hybrid” options whereby articles published in a
subscription journal are also made openly accessible,
typically in exchange for a fee.
The Journal’s Reputation for
Responsible Business Practices
Some journals are better than others at editing man-
uscripts, getting issues to press in a timely manner,
and other aspects of providing service to authors and
readers. Before you commit your work to a journal, you
should be familiar with its recent publishing record. If
72 Understanding Open Access
you know other authors who have published there, you
might ask them about their experience.
The Open Access Licensing Terms Available
Through the Publisher
A given open access publisher may have only one type
of license that it automatically applies to all the works
it publishes. Thus, authors wishing to fine-tune the
“openness” of their works (see Chapter 4) should
research the licensing policies of the open access
journals in which they are interested. The Directory of
Open Access Journals (“DOAJ”) allows authors to search
by licensing terms for easy comparison.
The Technical Openness of the Publication
Authors interested in making sure that their works are
more technically open should consider the technical
capabilities of different publishers. (See Chapter 4.)
Whether The Publisher Charges Author-Side Fees
and its Policy Regarding Exemptions
As discussed above, some, but not all, open access pub-
lishers charge publication fees. The DOAJ allows users
to filter search results for journals that do not charge
publication fees.
Even if your desired journal charges a fee, you may
not need to pay out-of-pocket. Consider the following
alternate strategies to cover the fee:
• Ask your institution or funding entity if it has
earmarked funds available to pay for open access
publication fees.46
• Apply for grant funding specifically designated
for open access publishing (for example, from a
government agency, private foundation, or insti-
tutional library).47
• Partake in the journal’s fee assistance program48
or institutional discount.49
• Apply for a publication fee waiver if the journal
offers one.
