What is Open Access Journal?
Complete guide to open access journals for researchers and universities. Learn about types of open access (Gold, Diamond, Hybrid), benefits, indexing requirements, ScholarJMS, and how to start your open access journal today.
What is Open Access Journal?
A Complete Guide for Researchers, Universities, and Publishers
Academic publishing is undergoing a fundamental transformation. For decades, access to scholarly research was restricted behind expensive subscription models, limiting knowledge to institutions that could afford it. Today, the global research community is moving toward a more inclusive, transparent, and accessible publishing model known as Open Access Journals.
Open access journals have become central to modern scholarly communication. They enable free and immediate access to research outputs, increase global visibility, and support faster knowledge dissemination. Governments, funding agencies, universities, and indexing bodies increasingly encourage or mandate open access publishing. This detailed guide explains what an open access journal is, how it works, its types, benefits, challenges, indexing relevance, and how modern journal management systems like ScholarJMS are making open access publishing efficient, compliant, and globally scalable.
The Rise of Open Access Publishing
Research is created to advance knowledge, solve real-world problems, and benefit society. However, traditional subscription-based journals restrict access to readers who can afford institutional licenses or individual article fees. This creates barriers for researchers in developing countries, independent scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and students. Open access journals remove these barriers by allowing anyone to read, download, and share research without cost. This model has gained rapid momentum due to:
• Growing demand for research transparency
• Funding agency mandates for public access
• Digital publishing technologies
• Global collaboration needs
• Increased emphasis on research impact
Today, open access journals are no longer an alternative model. They are becoming the standard model for academic publishing.
What is an Open Access Journal?
An open access journal publishes peer-reviewed scholarly articles that are freely accessible to everyone, usually under a clear copyright license that permits reuse with proper attribution. In other word, An Open Access Journal is a scholarly journal that provides free, immediate, and unrestricted online access to all its published articles.
Readers do not need to:
• Pay subscription fees
• Create paid accounts
• Purchase individual articles
Instead, the content is openly available on the journal website and can be accessed globally.
Key Characteristics of Open Access Journals
An authentic open access journal is defined not merely by free availability of content, but by a complete ecosystem of ethical publishing, digital accessibility, and long-term scholarly responsibility. The following characteristics distinguish genuine, high-quality open access journals from traditional subscription journals and from predatory outlets.
A. Free and Unrestricted Access for Readers
The most defining feature of an open access journal is that all published articles are freely accessible to anyone, anywhere in the world. Readers do not need to pay subscription fees, purchase individual articles, or create paid accounts to access content.
This unrestricted access ensures that:
• Researchers in developing countries can read and cite current research
• Independent scholars and practitioners can apply research findings
• Students can access learning resources without institutional barriers
• Policymakers and industry professionals can use research for decision-making
Free access dramatically expands the reach and societal impact of research. Studies consistently show that open access articles receive higher readership and citation rates compared to paywalled publications.
B. Online-First and Digital-Native Publishing Model
Open access journals are inherently digital-first. Unlike traditional print-centric journals, open access journals publish articles online as soon as they are ready, without waiting for print cycles.
This online-first approach enables:
• Faster manuscript processing and publication timelines
• Immediate global dissemination of research
• Continuous publication models instead of fixed print issues
• Easy updates, corrections, and supplementary material integration
Digital publishing also allows journals to integrate multimedia elements such as datasets, figures, videos, and interactive content, enhancing research communication and comprehension.
C. Rigorous Peer Review and Editorial Quality Control
A common misconception is that open access journals compromise on quality. In reality, peer review is independent of the access model. Reputable open access journals follow the same or even stricter peer review standards as subscription-based journals.
These may include:
• Single-blind peer review
• Double-blind peer review
• Open peer review
• Transparent peer review
Through peer review, manuscripts are evaluated for originality, methodology, ethical compliance, clarity, and contribution to the field. Journals using modern systems like ScholarJMS with Scholar9 Transparent Peer Review ensure structured, unbiased, and well-documented review workflows. Peer review remains the backbone of academic credibility in open access publishing.
D. Clear and Transparent Licensing Framework
Open access journals clearly specify how published content can be reused through standardized licenses, most commonly Creative Commons licenses.
These licenses define:
• Whether articles can be shared
• Whether they can be reused for teaching or research
• Whether adaptations are allowed
• Whether commercial use is permitted
Common licenses include:
• CC BY
• CC BY-NC
• CC BY-NC-ND
Clear licensing protects authors' rights while allowing legal reuse of content. It removes ambiguity for readers and ensures ethical sharing of scholarly work.
E. Permanent Availability and Long-Term Archiving
An open access journal commits to long-term preservation of scholarly content. Articles are not temporary uploads but permanent academic records.
This is ensured through:
• Journal archives accessible on the website
• Persistent identifiers such as Crossref DOI
• Digital preservation strategies
• Metadata harvesting and indexing
• Stable URLs
Permanent availability guarantees that articles remain accessible years or decades after publication. This is essential for citations, historical research, academic verification, and indexing continuity. Modern journal management systems automate archival organization, ensuring that older issues remain discoverable and intact.
Types of Open Access Journals
Open access publishing is not a single uniform model. Over time, different open access models have evolved to address varying institutional policies, funding mechanisms, and disciplinary practices. Each type of open access journal serves a specific purpose within the global scholarly publishing ecosystem. Understanding these models helps authors, universities, funding agencies, and journal publishers choose the most appropriate approach for disseminating research.
1. Gold Open Access Journals
Gold Open Access is the most widely recognized and commonly used open access model.
In this model:
• Articles are made freely available immediately upon publication
• The entire journal operates as an open access journal
• Readers do not pay subscription fees
• Articles are accessible without login or payment barriers
Gold open access journals typically cover their operational costs through:
• Article Processing Charges (APCs)
• Institutional funding
• Research grants
• Society or publisher support
Gold open access ensures maximum visibility and accessibility for published research. Many well-known international journals operate under this model, and it is fully compatible with indexing databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, DOAJ, and PubMed.
Importantly, the presence of an APC does not indicate lower quality. Quality depends on editorial standards, peer review rigor, and ethical practices.
2. Diamond or Platinum Open Access Journals
Diamond Open Access, also known as Platinum Open Access, is considered the most inclusive and equitable open access model.
In this model:
• Articles are free to read
• Authors are not charged any publication fees
• No APCs are collected
• Neither readers nor authors bear financial burden
The costs of publishing are typically covered by:
• Universities
• Academic societies
• Research institutions
• Government funding bodies
• Public research grants
This model is increasingly encouraged by public institutions and funding agencies because it promotes equal participation in scholarly publishing regardless of an author's financial capacity.
Diamond open access journals are particularly common in university-published journals, society journals, and publicly funded research initiatives. When combined with robust peer review and professional journal management systems, this model offers both accessibility and quality.
3. Hybrid Open Access Journals
Hybrid Open Access journals operate primarily as subscription-based journals but offer authors the option to make individual articles open access upon payment of an APC.
In this model:
• The journal charges subscriptions to readers or institutions
• Authors may choose to pay to make their article open access
• Only selected articles are freely available
While hybrid open access initially helped transition journals toward openness, it has raised concerns within the academic community.
The main criticism is double charging, where:
• Publishers receive subscription fees
• And also collect APCs from authors
Due to these concerns, many funding agencies and academic institutions are discouraging or restricting support for hybrid open access publishing.
4. Green Open Access
Green Open Access allows authors to make their research available through repositories rather than the journal website itself.
In this model:
• Authors publish in traditional subscription journals
• A version of the manuscript is deposited in an institutional or subject repository
• Access may be immediate or after an embargo period
Repositories may include:
• University repositories
• Discipline-specific repositories
• National or international open research platforms
Green open access improves accessibility without changing the journal's business model. However, it does not always provide the same visibility, citation advantage, or discoverability as fully open access journals.
Choosing the Right Open Access Model
The choice of open access model depends on:
• Funding availability
• Institutional policies
• Funder mandates
• Disciplinary norms
• Publishing objectives
Universities and research institutions increasingly prefer Gold or Diamond open access models due to their alignment with transparency, equity, and global accessibility. Modern journal management platforms such as ScholarJMS support all major open access models by providing flexible workflows, metadata control, and indexing-ready architecture.
Why Open Access Models Matter
Each open access model plays a role in advancing scholarly communication. However, journals that adopt fully open and transparent models with strong peer review and professional management are best positioned for long-term credibility, indexing success, and global impact. Open access publishing is no longer experimental. It is a mature, evolving system shaping the future of academic research dissemination.
Open Access Journals Vs Subscription Based Journals
Many researchers and institutions still ask an important question: what is the difference between an open access journal and a traditional subscription-based journal? Understanding this difference is critical for authors, universities, and funding agencies.
| Aspect | Open Access Journals | Subscription-Based Journals |
|---|---|---|
| Reader Access | Free for everyone worldwide | Restricted to paying users |
| Visibility | High global reach | Limited to subscribers |
| Citations | Generally higher | Comparatively lower |
| Compliance | Aligned with funder mandates | Often restricted |
| Archiving | Public and permanent | Access-controlled |
| Author Reach | Global | Institutional |
Open access journals ensure that research reaches policymakers, industry professionals, educators, and scholars without financial barriers. This makes open access journals more impactful in real-world applications and interdisciplinary research.
Why Open Access Journals Are Important?
Open access journals play a vital and transformative role in the global research ecosystem. They redefine how knowledge is shared, accessed, and applied across disciplines, institutions, and geographical boundaries. In an era where research is expected to create real societal impact, open access journals provide the most effective pathway for inclusive and responsible scholarly communication.
Democratization of Knowledge
One of the most significant contributions of open access journals is the democratization of knowledge. Traditional subscription-based publishing restricts access to institutions and individuals who can afford costly journal subscriptions. This creates an imbalance where researchers in resource-limited regions are excluded from current scientific developments.
Open access journals remove these barriers by allowing anyone, anywhere in the world to access research freely. Students, independent researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and scholars from developing countries gain equal access to the latest research without financial limitations.
This shift democratizes academic knowledge, reduces inequality in research access, and strengthens the global research community by empowering researchers across economic divides.
Increased Research Visibility and Citations
Open access journals significantly enhance the visibility of research outputs. Articles that are freely available online are accessed, read, and shared more widely than paywalled content.
Numerous studies have shown that open access articles:
• Receive higher readership
• Are cited more frequently
• Reach broader interdisciplinary audiences
• Gain faster recognition within research communities
This citation advantage translates into higher academic impact, improved author recognition, and increased influence within the scholarly community.
Compliance with Funding Mandates
Many national and international funding agencies now mandate that research funded by public money must be made openly accessible. Organizations like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), European Research Council (ERC), and Department of Science and Technology (DST) require researchers to publish in open access journals or deposit manuscripts in public repositories.
Open access journals simplify compliance with these requirements by providing a direct path to meet funder open access mandates without additional archiving steps.
Faster Dissemination of Knowledge
Open access journals typically operate with faster publication cycles than traditional journals. Authors can share findings immediately without waiting for print publication cycles.
This is especially important in fields like medicine, public health, and technology, where timely access to research can influence lives and policies.
Support for Interdisciplinary Research
Interdisciplinary research benefits greatly from open access. When articles are freely available, scholars from different fields can discover, read, and build upon research outside their traditional domains. This cross-pollination of ideas drives innovation and addresses complex global challenges like climate change, public health, and sustainable development.
Peer Review and Quality Maintenance
Open access does not compromise quality. Reputable open access journals maintain rigorous peer review processes, including:
• Single-blind peer review
• Double-blind peer review
• Open peer review
• Transparent peer review
Modern platforms like ScholarJMS, integrated with Scholar9 Transparent Peer Review, enable journals to maintain high editorial standards while ensuring accountability and ethical publishing. Transparent peer review further strengthens trust by documenting reviewer comments, decisions, and revision history.
Open Access Journals and Indexing
Indexing is one of the most important milestones for any academic journal
Inclusion in reputed indexing databases significantly enhances a journal's visibility, credibility, and citation potential. A common misconception among authors and institutions is that indexing bodies prefer subscription-based journals. In reality, indexing agencies focus on quality, ethical publishing practices, and consistency, not on whether a journal charges subscription fees. Open access journals are widely accepted and increasingly encouraged by major indexing bodies worldwide, provided they meet scholarly and technical standards.
What Journal's Indexing Bodies Evaluate?
Indexing agencies assess journals based on multiple quality indicators, including:
• Rigor and transparency of peer review
• Editorial board expertise
• Publication ethics and policies
• Consistency and regularity of publication
• Quality and originality of published content
• Metadata accuracy and structure
• Long-term accessibility and archiving
• DOI usage and citation practices
• Website quality and technical stability
Major Indexing Databases That Accept Open Access Journals
Scopus
Scopus indexes thousands of open access journals across disciplines. Its evaluation process emphasizes peer review integrity, publication ethics, editorial quality, and international relevance. Many high-impact Scopus-indexed journals operate under full open access models.
Web of Science (WoS)
Web of Science evaluates journals for inclusion in its Emerging Sources Citation Index and other collections based on editorial rigor, peer review standards, and research impact. Open access journals that demonstrate consistency and quality are regularly indexed.
DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals)
DOAJ is a globally recognized indexing database dedicated exclusively to open access journals. It applies strict criteria related to transparency, peer review, copyright, licensing, and ethics. Inclusion in DOAJ signals that a journal follows best practices in open access publishing and significantly enhances international credibility.
UGC CARE
Under the current UGC framework, journals are evaluated using quality parameters rather than fixed lists. Open access journals are fully acceptable provided they demonstrate strong peer review, ethical policies, valid ISSN, consistent publication, and editorial transparency. Many university-published open access journals align well with UGC CARE quality benchmarks.
PubMed and PubMed Central
In biomedical and health sciences, open access journals are actively included in PubMed Central, provided they meet rigorous scientific and ethical standards. Open access supports wider dissemination of medical research, which is a key goal of public health agencies.
EBSCO
EBSCO indexes both subscription-based and open access journals. Its selection process prioritizes scholarly value, editorial quality, and relevance to academic libraries and researchers.
Dimensions
Dimensions integrates research publications, grants, and citations. Open access journals with proper DOI registration and metadata are easily discoverable and gain enhanced citation tracking through this platform.
Google Scholar
Google Scholar indexes scholarly content regardless of access model. However, open access journals often achieve better visibility and ranking because articles are freely accessible, easily crawlable, and more frequently cited.
Why Open Access Is a Strategic Advantage for Indexing
Open access journals offer several advantages that align naturally with indexing requirements:
• Unrestricted access improves article discoverability
• Free availability increases citation potential
• Clear licensing supports ethical reuse
• Permanent online access ensures long-term availability
• Public visibility strengthens academic impact
Because open access journals remove access barriers, indexing platforms and search engines can more easily crawl, index, and rank their content.
Role of Technology in Indexing-Ready Open Access Journals
Modern journal management systems play a critical role in indexing success. Journal Management Software like ScholarJMS automatically generate:
• Indexing-ready metadata
• Structured article pages
• OAI-PMH feeds
• Crossref DOI integration
• Archive organization
This technical foundation ensures that open access journals meet the expectations of indexing agencies from the very beginning.
Open Access and Indexing: A Natural Partnership
Open access journals and indexing systems share a common goal: to maximize the reach, reliability, and impact of scholarly research. When open access is combined with strong peer review, ethical publishing, and professional journal management, it becomes a powerful strategy for long-term academic success. For journals seeking global recognition, indexing, and citation growth, open access is not a limitation. It is a strategic advantage.
Open Access Journals and UGC CARE Quality Parameters
With the discontinuation of the earlier UGC CARE List, the University Grants Commission now emphasizes quality parameters instead of fixed journal listings. Under the current UGC framework, open access journals are fully acceptable provided they meet the required academic standards.
UGC CARE Focus Areas for Open Access Journals:
• Transparent peer review process
• Clear editorial policies
• Valid ISSN
• Publication ethics and plagiarism control
• Qualified editorial board
• Archival policy
• Website transparency and accessibility
The access model does not disqualify a journal. What matters is research quality, ethical publishing, and editorial rigor. Modern open access journals built on platforms like ScholarJMS naturally align with these UGC CARE parameters because they support structured workflows, peer review documentation, archival access, and metadata transparency.
Role of ISSN, DOI, and Metadata in Open Access Journals
For an open access journal to be credible and indexable, it must have:
• Valid ISSN for online and print formats (consult e-ISSN expert Mr. Darshan Patel on +918200385143 or inquiry@ojscloud.com)
• Crossref DOI for each article (consult Crossref DOI expert Mr. Darshan Patel on +918200385143 or inquiry@ojscloud.com)
• Structured metadata
• Proper archival structure
• Clear author guidelines
• Transparent contact information
• Technical stability
These elements are essential for visibility, indexing, and scholarly legitimacy.
Why ScholarJMS? Is ScholarJMS Ideal for Open Access Journals?
ScholarJMS is a next-generation Journal Management Software designed specifically for modern open access publishing. It offers:
• End-to-end journal workflow
• Built-in CMS for journal websites
• Transparent peer review integration via Scholar9
• Crossref DOI readiness
• ISSN-compliant layouts
• Indexing-ready architecture
• Mobile-friendly modern UI
• Ability to launch a journal website in one day
For universities, societies, and publishers, ScholarJMS eliminates technical complexity while ensuring compliance with international publishing norms.
Open Access Journals for Universities and Institutions
Universities increasingly launch their own open access journals to:
• Increase research visibility
• Improve institutional rankings
• Support faculty and students
• Comply with funding mandates
• Build academic leadership
With platforms like ScholarJMS, institutions can operate multiple open access journals from a single dashboard.
Open Access Journals for Individual Researchers and Societies
Open access journals are no longer limited to large publishers. Researchers, academic societies, and research groups can now:
• Start discipline-specific journals
• Build research communities
• Publish conference proceedings
• Create thematic special issues
All of this is possible with minimal technical effort using a modern online journal management system.
Future of Open Access Journals
The future of scholarly publishing is clearly moving toward open access. Key trends include:
• Mandatory open access policies
• Growth of diamond open access
• Transparent peer review adoption
• AI-assisted editorial workflows
• Stronger metadata and research analytics
Journals that adopt open access early gain a long-term strategic advantage.
Frequently Asked Questions About Open Access Journals
Is an open access journal peer reviewed?
Yes. Reputable open access journals follow the same peer review standards as subscription journals, including single-blind, double-blind, or transparent peer review.
Are open access journals accepted by Scopus and Web of Science?
Yes. Many Scopus and Web of Science indexed journals are open access. Indexing bodies focus on quality, not access model.
Is DOI mandatory for open access journals?
While not legally mandatory, DOI is essential for indexing, citation tracking, and long-term article identification.
Can universities start their own open access journals?
Yes. Universities worldwide run open access journals to promote research visibility, improve rankings, and support faculty and students.
Do open access journals receive more citations?
Studies consistently show that open access articles receive higher readership and citation rates due to unrestricted access.
Conclusion
An Open Access Journal is more than a publishing model. It is a commitment to knowledge sharing, transparency, and global research advancement. Open access journals: Increase visibility and citations, support ethical and transparent publishing, enable global collaboration, Align with indexing and funding requirements. With modern specialized journal management software like ScholarJMS and transparent peer review powered by Scholar9, starting and managing an open access journal has become easier, faster, and more reliable than ever before.
For universities, institutions, societies, and researchers, open access journals represent the future of scholarly communication. If you are planning to start or upgrade an open access journal, choosing the right Journal Management Software and Online Journal Management System is the most critical decision. ScholarJMS provides everything required to succeed in the modern academic publishing landscape.
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