Open Access at Meriam Library

Open Access (OA) is a model for access to research and scholarship. It is defined by the Budapest Open Access Initiative, as content whose "free availability on the public internet, permit[s] any users to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of these articles..." The Budapest definition also includes the ability to data-mine and remix works; other organizations have a narrower definition, focusing only on freely available access to read/view. The PLoS How Open Is It Open Access Spectrum guide illustrates the full spectrum of open access options.

Open Access refers to the method of access and is not a reflection on quality. Some journals (particularly in the sciences) may ask their authors to pay an Article Processing Charge (APC) to offset the cost of making their article open access. APCs are not an indicator of a low-quality publication and may be written into some grant applications.

Consider publishing open access so that more researchers and the public will have greater access to your work.

For more information on Open Access please consult the resources linked below:

• SPARC-Why Open Access Matters
• Open Access Overview by Peter Suber. Peter Suber is one the leading voices on open access.
• Open for Collaboration: Why open access publishing creates more networking opportunities for young scientists

Open Access publishing isn't just for faculty. Students are important contributors to the movement who can make valuable connections and gain immediate access to data and discoveries that can enrich their own research.

 This Open Access guide is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 License by Dana Ospina and Carolyn Caffrey Gardner, both at CSU Dominguez Hills.

• Gold Open Access
  • Research that is immediately made freely available upon publication on the publisher's website, often with limited copyright restrictions. Gold open access is typically funded by society memberships, philanthropic or institutional support, or author processing fees (APCs). 
• Green Open Access
  • Research that is published in a closed access publication but has been archived and shared to provide free access. Green open access is typically made available through a repository or author's website, sometimes after an embargo period. Many publishers allow researchers to archive and share certain versions of their work but often limit sharing of the final published version.

Open Access Myths Debunked

Megan Graewingholt created the Open Access Myths Debunked infographic below for Open Access Week 2016 at Cal State Fullerton. A full transcription of the Open Access Myths Debunked Infographic is also available. If you are interested in the sources behind these facts and statistics, there is a Open Access Myths Debunked Infographic bibliography. 

 This Open Access LibGuide by Mark Bilby is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) International License.