Open access publishing
Background
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council has joined other UK research councils in mandating open access publication of research papers funded by EPSRC grants. This policy applies to all papers submitted for publication on or after September 1st 2011. EPSRC will monitor compliance through random checks on accessibility of papers resulting from research funded by EPSRC.
JISC publication: Opening up access to research results: Questions and Answers (2005) answers some frequently-asked questions about open-access publishing and self-archiving. Also available in pdf format.
These new mandatory requirements aim to provide wide access to research literature resulting from public funding.
EPSRC options
Gold model:
The gold or 'author pays' option requires payment by the author for publication in an open-access journal or by selecting the open-access option in a subscribed journal (sometimes called a hybrid journal). The cost of publication can be recovered as directly incurred costs (before the grant end date) or as indirect costs in a grant application.
Green model:
The green model follows the traditional route of publishing in a subscribed journal but requires self-archiving in an open-access repository. An embargo period may be required when the paper is only available to subscribers or via pay-per-view. Depositing in an open-access institutional repository is a recommended method of self-archiving.
University of Cambridge policy on open access
The University Library provides links to Open Access policy information and the University’s digital institutional repository DSpace.These links are accessible under the ‘Digital Library’ menu on the University Library homepage: http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/.
DSpace@cambridge
Guidance for authors of journal articles is available here.
It is the author's responsibility to ensure there is no infringement of copyright before depositing a paper in DSpace@Cambridge repository and consent of co-authors is required.
DSpace information on funder mandates.
DSpace and Symplectic Elements
The next release of the Symplectic Elements database, available soon, will provide a link to DSpace@Cambridge and an opportunity to upload papers into the repository.
A new 'Full text' tab on the record summary links to a 'manage full text' option.
The new page headed 'Cambridge repository contents for this publication', includes a description of publisher policy regarding archiving (based on information from the Romeo website - see below),
links to publisher pages on copyright policy, article posting policies and funding body agreements with that publisher.
From this page you can upload a file to institutional repository DSpace@Cambridge.
Publishers' policies
Publishers' policies towards open access vary.
You can check the policy for your favourite journal publisher.
SHERPA organisation ROMEO project lists publisher policies on open access and self-archiving.
It is possible to search by journal title or publisher.
On the ROMEO site pre-print is defined as a version before peer review and post-print is the revised version after peer review ie the paper as published. (Note appearance may differ as publishers often prohibit use of the publisher-formatted .pdf file and authors must make their own .pdf version for submission to a repository.)
ROMEO colour codes publisher entries according to archiving policy. The colour relates to overall permissions granted by the publisher:
- Green: can archive pre-print and post-print or publisher's version/PDF.
- Blue: can archive post-print (ie final draft post-refereeing) or publisher's version/PDF.
- Yellow: can archive pre-print (ie pre-refereeing).
- White: archiving not formally supported.
ROMEO sister project JULIET lists Research Funders' open-access policies.
Links to some publisher websites
Elsevier funding body agreements and
information for authors.
Nature manuscript deposition service ('green' route).
Springer: SpringerOpen
University of Cambridge is a supporter member of SpringerOpen
Taylor & Francis Open
Wiley Online Library
open access policy.
Open access journals
Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) Materials
See journal title entry in directory for publication costs.