Journal open access checklist
Here is a checklist to help you pick the right route to open access for you and your funder and how to choose a suitable journal.
Check your funder’s open access requirements
Check the journal’s open access policy
Check the Article Processing Charge
Seek funding for APCs
Check your funder’s open access requirements
Does your funder require you to publish your paper with Green or Gold open access?
Some funders require that research is made open access immediately upon publication, this is known as Gold open access. Your funder may also require you to publish under a specific licence.
Others will ask you to publish the Author Accepted Manuscript in a non-profit or Institutional Repository, otherwise known as Green open access.
You can use Sherpa Juliet to check the major funder’s policies.
Check the journal’s open access policy
If you are going the Green open access route, you will need to check if your chosen journal’s open access policy is in line with your funder's requirements. For example, many publishers will ask for an embargo period before your work is uploaded to an institutional repository.
Bristol University Press and Policy Press journals are fully compliant with funder mandates. See our Green (self-archiving) open access policy for more information.
How much does the journal charge for Gold open access?
If you are going the Gold open access route it is a good idea to check how much it will cost and how you will pay for it.
The journal might only make an article open access immediately on publication by paying an article processing charge (APC). These charges will be listed on the journal’s website.
APCs for BUP and Policy Press journals.
Your library may have a Read and Publish agreement with the journal’s publisher. These agreements allow faculty to publish without paying an APC. BUP has Read and Publish Agreements with a number of institutions.
Check if you are eligible to publish with our Read and Publish Agreement.
The publisher may offer waivers and discounts to journal editors or authors from low income countries or underrepresented backgrounds.
Learn about Bristol University Press’s waivers and discounts.
Look for funding options
Funding is available to help authors pay APCs:
- APC funding may be included in the initial research grant application budget
- Grantees can often use remaining research funds for APCs
- Discipline specific funds
- Your institution may administer block grants from funders (e.g. UKRI)
When applying for funding check whether your chosen journal meets your open access funding conditions – are your funds restricted to fully open access journals or journals offering a CC BY copyright licence?