Publishing your work open access

When choosing where to publish your research, make sure the journal or publisher meets UQ and funder open access requirements.

Check you can meet UQ and funder requirements

When publishing your research under an open access pathway, make sure the journal or publisher meets:

Check:

  • how soon after publication the output must be openly accessible
  • whether there are specific open licences (e.g. Creative Commons) required for outputs.

Publish open access in a journal

Step 1: Find a journal using Journal Search

Journal Search:

  • can help you identify the open access pathways for a journal you are familiar with or a list of journals relevant to your research area
  • will allow you to limit to journals that can be published with no article processing charge (APC) or allow repository open access with a suitable embargo.

Access Journal Search (UQ login required)

Using Journal Search

  1. Search by the title (select Exact match or Titles containing), ISSN, keyword or subject area.
    You will be presented with a list of journals (unless you have selected the exact title).
  2. Use Refine results to limit to journals that:
    • can be published with no article processing charge (options under Open access: published version), or
    • allow repository open access with a suitable embargo (options under Open access: accepted version).

When you view a journal’s record, the Open Access Options box will indicate if:

  • a fee or APC is required
  • whether UQ has an agreement with the journal to cover (or discount) the APC
  • if an APC is payable and what the amount is (this information will only appear if the journal is fully open access and the information is available)
  • the journal’s embargo period for (hybrid) journals that have a repository open access option.

Even though UQ may have an agreement to cover the APC, the journal may incur other fees (such as colour and page fees) that are not covered under the agreement and will need to be paid by the author.

Step 2: Publish in the journal

Check and follow the journal’s website information for authors and check these other requirements for the journal type:

Open access where the APC is covered by a UQ publishing agreement

  • Review the Information for Authors for the journal’s publisher on the UQ Open access publishing agreements page.
  • Make sure your Article type is covered under the agreement.
  • Ensure the corresponding author uses their UQ affiliation and email (ending in edu.au) with submission.

Hybrid journals where the APC is not covered

If the journal you wish to publish in is a hybrid journal where the APC is not covered under a UQ agreement:

  • Make sure you choose to publish under the subscription pathway (not open access).
  • Include a rights retention statement when you submit your manuscript if your funder requires the research to be open access immediately on publication and the journal has an embargo for the accepted version of the manuscript.   
  • Upload the author accepted manuscript to UQ eSpace when the research is published.

Fully open access journals where the APC is not covered

Consider these options if you do not have the funds to cover the cost of the APC but wish to publish in a fully open access journal where the APC is not covered under a UQ agreement.

Use Journal search (UQ login required) to find an alternative journal where there is an agreement with UQ.

Journal search has a ‘I want to publish open access’ button under the title on the journal view page of journals not covered by agreements – this will take you to similar journals that enable fee-free open access for the author. 

 Other options to consider:

  • Check with your school or faculty for funding.
  • If available and permissible under your grant, use grant funding to cover the APC.
  • If collaborating with authors from another institution, check if their institution has an agreement with APC coverage.

Publishing in a journal outlines other factors to consider when selecting a journal.

Publish open access in a book

If you are thinking of publishing your research open access as a book or book chapter, the publisher might charge a book processing charge (BPC).  

  • The Library does not have agreements with publishers to cover the BPC.  
  • Publishing books has information on selecting book publishers.
  • The Library supports UQ staff to publish open textbooks.

Questions

Contact your Faculty Services Librarians team for support.