Open access publishing makes research freely accessible by removing the financial barriers of subscription-based journals.
By publishing open access you can:
- reach a wider audience
- meet funder requirements
- potentially get a citation advantage.
The concept of open access is nuanced, and there are different models available, including green, gold and hybrid.
Green open access: Unlocking research through repositories
This is depositing an article in a repository, such as our own Griffith Research Online (GRO) or Creative Works, enabling open access even if your research is published in a subscription-based journal.
There are two types of green open access:
- Preprint archiving: depositing a pre-peer-reviewed manuscript, known as a preprint, before it is submitted to a journal for peer-review.
- Postprint archiving: depositing the final accepted version after it has been peer-reviewed and accepted for publication.
Gold open access: Making research freely available
This means an entire journal is open access, providing free access to articles on publication. The costs of publishing are typically borne by the authors (or may be included as part of grant funding).
Hybrid open access: A blend of green and gold
This combines elements of green and gold, with subscription-based hybrid journals allowing individual articles to be open access upon payment of an article processing charge (APC). We have agreements with some publishers that allow you to publish in these journals without having to pay the APC. Full details are available on our read and publish agreements page.
If you’d like further information about your open access publishing options, please use the Library request form to arrange a consultation with a librarian.
