Categories
Uncategorized

The Benefits And Drawbacks Of Open-Access Journals

Open access (OA) publishing refers to the practice of making research articles freely available online, without paywalls or other restrictions. While traditional subscription-based publishing models have been dominant in the past, the popularity of open-access journals has grown significantly in recent years. This article will explore the benefits and drawbacks of open-access journals, discussing why this publishing model is gaining traction and the potential challenges it poses. If you want a straight definition for the elephant in the room then please spare 1 minute to read the following sub-section.

What Is Open Access Journal?

What Is Open Access Journal?

An open-access journal is a type of academic publication that provides free and unrestricted access to its content. This means that readers can access, read, download, and share articles published in open-access journals without having to pay any subscription fees or access barriers. Open-access journals are available online and are often funded by author fees, institutional subsidies, or sponsorships. This type of publication model allows for greater dissemination of research, as it enables anyone with an internet connection to access the articles. Open-access journals have become increasingly popular in academia, as Open Access Features help to democratize knowledge and promote wider access to research.

Advantages of Open-Access Journals

  • Accessibility
Accessibility

One of the main benefits of open access journals is that they increase accessibility to scientific research. In the traditional publishing model, readers must pay for access to articles, which can be prohibitively expensive for individuals and institutions that lack funding. This can create barriers to knowledge dissemination, particularly for those working in developing countries or with limited financial resources. By contrast, open-access journals make research freely available to anyone with an internet connection, breaking down these barriers and allowing a wider audience to access scientific knowledge. 

  • Collaboration
Collaboration

Open-access journals can lead to greater innovation and collaboration in research. By making research findings freely available, researchers from different disciplines and countries can access and build upon each other’s work, leading to new discoveries and innovations.

  • Fake News avoidance
Fake News avoidance

Open-access publishing can help to address the problem of scientific misinformation and fake news. By making research findings freely available, open-access journals can help to counteract misinformation and promote evidence-based decision-making. This is particularly important in fields such as public health, where accurate information can be a matter of life and death.

  • Increased visibility and impact
Increased visibility and impact

Another advantage of open-access publishing is that it can increase the visibility and impact of research. Open-access articles are often more widely read and cited than those published in traditional subscription-based journals. This is because open-access articles are searchable and available through a variety of online databases and repositories, making it easier for researchers to find and cite them in their own work. Additionally, open-access publishing can increase the public visibility of research, helping to build connections between scientific research and the broader community.

  • Faster publication times
Faster publication times

Open-access journals are often able to publish articles more quickly than traditional journals. This is because they do not have to wait for print runs or other distribution channels, which can significantly delay publication times. Additionally, open-access journals may have more streamlined peer review processes, enabling faster turnaround times for article publication.

  • Promotion of Social Justice
Promotion of Social Justice

Finally, open-access publishing can promote social justice and equity by removing financial barriers to access. This is particularly important in the context of scientific research, where access to information and resources can be critical for addressing global challenges such as climate change, public health, and social inequality. By making research freely available, open-access journals can help to ensure that scientific knowledge is available to all, regardless of their financial resources or geographic location.

  • Cost savings
Cost savings

Open-access publishing can also save money for researchers and institutions. Traditional publishing models require authors to pay for article processing charges (APCs) or other fees to publish their work, in addition to subscription fees paid by readers. By contrast, open-access journals often have lower or no APCs, making it more affordable for researchers to publish their work. Additionally, open-access publishing can reduce costs for libraries and other institutions that subscribe to scientific journals.

  • Social and ethical benefits
Social and ethical benefits

Finally, open-access publishing can have important social and ethical benefits. By making research freely available, open-access journals can help to address inequalities in knowledge access and distribution. This can promote social justice and equity, particularly in developing countries or other communities that have historically been excluded from scientific knowledge production. Additionally, open-access publishing can support open science practices, encouraging greater transparency and collaboration in scientific research.

Drawbacks of Open-Access Journals

High Article Processing Charges (APCs)

High Article Processing Charges (APCs)

One of the main drawbacks of open-access publishing is that many open-access journals charge high article processing charges (APCs) for authors to publish their work. These fees can be prohibitively expensive for researchers who are not affiliated with large institutions or who do not have access to funding. This can create a financial barrier to entry for some researchers, limiting the diversity of voices and perspectives in academic research.

Potential for Lower Editorial Standards

Potential for Lower Editorial Standards

Because open-access journals are often newer and less established than traditional journals, they may not have the same level of quality control or rigorous peer review. This can lead to lower-quality research being published and a lack of credibility in the field. In addition, some open-access publishers have been known to engage in predatory practices, such as charging exorbitant fees for low-quality or even fake journals.

Concerns about Plagiarism and Intellectual Property

Concerns about Plagiarism and Intellectual Property

Because open-access journals make research freely available, there is a risk that others may copy or misuse the work without proper attribution or permission. This can be particularly concerning for researchers working in sensitive or confidential areas, such as medical or defense research. In addition, there may be concerns about who owns the intellectual property rights to open-access research, and whether researchers will receive appropriate credit and compensation for their work.

Lack of Long-Term Preservation and Archiving

Lack of Long-Term Preservation and Archiving

Traditional publishers often invest in the long-term preservation of their content, ensuring that it remains accessible and usable for future generations. However, many open-access journals do not have the same level of resources or commitment to preservation, which can lead to data loss or decay over time. This can be particularly concerning for researchers who are working on long-term projects or who need to access older research for their work.

Lower Status or Prestige

Lower Status or Prestige

Open-access journals may not be recognized or valued in the same way as traditional journals. This can impact the career prospects and opportunities for researchers who choose to publish in open-access journals. In some cases, publishing in an open-access journal may be seen as a lower-status or less prestigious option, which can be detrimental to a researcher’s career.

Potential Bias or Political Influence

Potential Bias or Political Influence

Because open-access publishing allows anyone to access and publish research, there is a risk that certain viewpoints or perspectives may dominate the field. In addition, some governments or organizations may use open-access publishing as a way to promote their own agendas or suppress certain viewpoints, which can be detrimental to scientific progress and knowledge.

Quality Concerns

Quality concerns

One of the main drawbacks of open-access publishing is the perception that the quality of research may be compromised. Because open-access journals often have lower barriers to publication, there is a concern that they may be more likely to publish lower-quality research or engage in predatory publishing practices. While this is a legitimate concern, it is important to note that many open-access journals have rigorous peer review processes and editorial standards that ensure the quality of published work.

Sustainability Concerns

Sustainability concerns

Another challenge for open-access journals is sustainability. Because open-access journals do not rely on subscription fees to support their operations, they must find other sources of funding. This can be challenging, particularly for smaller or independent journals that may not have access to institutional support or grant funding. Some open-access journals have turned to article processing charges or other fees to support their operations, but this can create challenges for researchers who may be unable to afford these costs.

Publishing Biases

Publishing biases

Another potential drawback of open-access publishing is the risk of publishing biases. Because open-access journals are often more focused on accessibility and speed of publication. This nature allows anyone to access and publish research, there is a risk that certain viewpoints or perspectives may dominate the field, leading to bias in the literature. This can be particularly concerning in fields where there is controversy or disagreement, as certain perspectives may be overrepresented or underrepresented in the research. In addition, there may be a bias towards publishing research that is seen as “novel” or “exciting,” rather than research that is well-designed and rigorously conducted. This can lead to a focus on flashy or attention-grabbing research, rather than research that is truly groundbreaking or important.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, open-access journals offer several benefits to authors, readers, and the scientific community as a whole, including increased visibility and accessibility, the potential for greater impact and collaboration, and reduced financial barriers to accessing research. However, there are also some drawbacks to consider, such as the potential for lower quality control, predatory publishing practices, and lack of funding for open-access publication fees. As the demand for open access continues to grow, it is important for stakeholders to work together to address these challenges and ensure that open-access publishing remains a sustainable and ethical practice that benefits everyone involved.

Categories
Uncategorized

How to Merge Two Journals with One Open Journal System

Open Journal Systems (OJS) is an open-source software for managing and publishing scholarly journals. It is a comprehensive system that provides various features, such as article submission, review, editing, and publishing. If you are a journal editor or publisher with more than one journal on Open Journal Systems (OJS), you may want to merge them into a single platform. Merging journals into a single Open Journal Systems (OJS) installation has several advantages, such as reducing maintenance costs, improving user experience, and increasing efficiency. This article will guide you through merging a journal with another Open Journal System (OJS).

Steps to Merge Journals on a single Open Journal System (OJS):

Step 1: Back up your data

Back up your data

Before merging your journals, it is essential to back up your data to prevent data loss. You should back up all the data related to your journal, such as articles, issues, submissions, reviews, and user accounts.

To back up your data, go to your Open Journal System (OJS) administration dashboard, and click “Tools” in the left-hand side menu. Then, select “Backup” from the drop-down menu. Select all the options related to your data on the backup page and click on the “Backup” button. Your data will be downloaded as a compressed file in the “public” folder of your Open Journal System (OJS) installation. Make sure to keep this file safe and secure.

Step 2: Install the new OJS

Install the new OJS

To merge a journal to another Open Journal System (OJS), you need to install a new OJS platform where you will merge your journals. You can install OJS on the same server as your existing OJS or on a different server.

You can download the latest version of Open Journal Systems (OJS) from the official website (https://pkp.sfu.ca/ojs/). Once you have downloaded the installation package, extract it to a folder on your server. Then, create a new database for the new Open Journal Systems (OJS) and configure the Open Journal Systems (OJS) installation by following the installation instructions.

Step 3: Export your data

Export your data

The next step is to export your data from your existing OJS installation. To export your data, log in to your OJS administration dashboard and click “Tools” in the left-hand side menu. Then, select “Import/Export” from the drop-down menu. On the Import/Export page, select the “Native XML Plugin” and click on the “Export” button. This will export all your journal data in a single XML file. Save this file to a safe location on your computer.

Step 4: Import your data

Import your data

After exporting your data, the next step is to import your data into the new OJS installation. To import your data, log in to your new OJS administration dashboard and click “Tools” in the left-hand side menu. Then, select “Import/Export” from the drop-down menu. On the Import/Export page, select the “Native XML Plugin” and click on the “Import” button.

This will open the import page where you can upload the XML file you exported from your existing OJS installation. Once you have uploaded the file, click the “Import” button to start the import process. This may take some time, depending on the size of your data. Once the import is complete, you should see all your journal data in the new OJS installation.

Step 5: Merge your journals

Merge your journals

Now that you have your data in the new OJS installation merging your journals is next. To merge your journals, go to the “Journal Manager” page in the new OJS administration dashboard. On this page, you should see all your journals listed. To merge your journals, select the journal that you want to merge with another journal and click on the “Edit” button. On the “Edit Journal” page, go to the “Journal Information

Important: Merging journals into a single open journal system (OJS) must be carried out under expert supervision. We don’t take any responsibility for any mishap caused by the steps mentioned in this blog.

What care should be taken during the merging process?

OJS care

Merging two journals hosted on different Open Journal Systems (OJS) into a single OJS installation requires careful planning and execution to avoid data loss and ensure a smooth transition. Here are some of the key considerations that you should keep in mind when merging two journals into a single OJS:

  • Check compatibility: Before merging two journals, ensure that the version of OJS used in both journals is compatible with the version of OJS used in the new OJS installation. While exporting/importing the data, you may face issues if the versions are incompatible. Check the compatibility by referring to the OJS documentation or consulting with the OJS support team.
  • Plan the merging process: Plan the process carefully to ensure you do not lose any important data. Create a detailed plan that outlines the steps involved in the merging process and assign responsibilities to the relevant team members. The plan should include steps for exporting and importing data and merging the data into a single OJS installation.
  • Back up all data: Before you start the merging process, it is essential to back up all the data related to your journals. Back up all articles, issues, submissions, reviews, user accounts, and other data related to your journals. This will ensure that you have a copy of all your data in case something goes wrong during the merging process.
  • Test the import process: Before you start importing the data, test the import process with a small sample of data to ensure that the process works correctly. This will help you identify any issues that may arise during the import process and take corrective action before you import all the data.
  • Verify the imported data: Once you have imported it, it is essential to verify the imported data to ensure it has been imported correctly. Check all the articles, issues, submissions, reviews, and user accounts to ensure they have been imported correctly. If you find any issues, resolve them before proceeding with the merging process.
  • Merge the data: Once you have verified the imported data, it is time to merge it into a single OJS installation. Merge the data according to your plan, ensuring all data is merged correctly. Depending on the amount of data you are merging, this may take some time.
  • Reconfigure the new OJS installation: After merging the data, you need to reconfigure the new OJS installation to reflect the merged data. Configure the settings of the new OJS installation to reflect the settings of the original journals, such as journal settings, email templates, and publication schedules.
  • Test the new OJS installation: Once you have reconfigured the new OJS installation, test it thoroughly to ensure it works correctly. Test all the features of the new OJS installation, such as article submission, review, and publishing, to ensure that they work as expected.

Merging two journals hosted on different Open Journal Systems (OJS) into a single OJS installation requires careful planning and execution to avoid data loss and ensure a smooth transition. By following the above-mentioned considerations, you can ensure that the merging process is executed correctly and that your new OJS installation works correctly.

Advantages of merging the journals to a single OJS

Advantages of merging the journals

Merging two journals hosted on different Open Journal Systems (OJS) into a single OJS installation has several advantages. Here are some of the key advantages of merging two journals into a single OJS:

  • Increased efficiency: By merging two journals into a single OJS installation, you can increase your efficiency by streamlining your editorial and publishing processes. This can reduce the time and effort required to manage multiple journals on different OJS installations, leading to increased productivity and reduced administrative overhead.
  • Improved visibility: Merging two journals into a single OJS installation can help improve the visibility of your publications. By consolidating your journals into a single platform, you can attract more readers and increase your visibility in the academic community.
  • Improved quality control: You can improve your quality control processes by consolidating your journals into a single OJS installation. This can help ensure that all published content meets the highest quality standards, leading to a better reputation and higher impact.
  • Easier collaboration: Merging two journals into a single OJS installation can facilitate easier collaboration between editors, reviewers, and authors. This can help foster a more collaborative and supportive community of scholars, leading to increased engagement and a more vibrant academic community.
  • Cost savings: Consolidating your journals into a single OJS installation can help reduce costs associated with managing multiple journals on different OJS installations. This can include costs associated with hosting, maintenance, and technical support.
  • Better user experience: By consolidating your journals into a single OJS installation, you can improve the user experience for your readers, authors, and reviewers. This can help attract and retain users, leading to increased engagement and a more vibrant community of scholars.

Cost of merging journals into single Open Journal Systems (OJS) 

cost of ojs

As far as cost is concerned, I cannot pinpoint the figure; instead can guide you on the affecting factors. Such factors are as below:

  • The size and complexity of the journals, 
  • The number of issues and articles to be merged, 
  • The amount of customization required, 
  • The expertise of the team handling the merging process.

If you are wondering about the direct technical cost ( these costs can vary widely depending on the specific needs of the project and the service provider chosen) factors, they could be as follows.

ojs website hosting
  • Web Hosting
  • Software Licensing
  • Technical Support
  • The Time and Resources required to plan and execute the merging process
  • Data Migration
  • Reconfiguration of settings and Customization
  • Testing and Quality Assurance
  • Retraining Staff and Users

To hire an expert for murging multiple journals click below

Merge Journals on OJS >>
merge ojs journals

Conclusion

Merging journals into a single Open Journal System (OJS) installation can benefit journals and authors with a streamlined workflow, reduced costs, increased visibility, and access to a larger audience. It also enables cross-journal searching and browsing. However, the process is complex and requires careful planning and management. Ultimately, deciding to merge journals should be based on considering the benefits, challenges, and needs of the communities involved.

Categories
Uncategorized

What is Open Access Journal Publishing?

You might have often heard the group of words “open access journal publishing” if you are related to the education or research field. Nowadays, people talk about the free resources for knowledge as the Internet makes the normal human being very addicted to knowing something new. Earlier, the knowledgeable contents were not free to access, but now people understand the power of making this content free for the general population. 

These opening remarks lead us to the question: How can we answer the question? What is open access journal publishing? or what is an open-access journal? So, tighten your seatbelt; I will take you on a ride in the deep sea of the open-access world.

So, What is Open Access?

Anything which doesn’t require any prior permission, license, subscription, or fee payment is called open access. In simple language, the content which is open access is free to consume. In other words, you can say that it is a way of conveying information (in digital form) free of cost via the Internet.

Open Access

For example, when you surf the Internet for knowledge hunting, you find two kinds of web pages. The first type may ask for a payment, some authentication, or a subscription to allow you to access the content. The second type doesn’t ask for fees or a subscription but directly allows you to access the content. The latter type is called open-access content.

Open-access word is much more prevalent in research publications or scholarly literature. The scholarly articles are open access and can be accessed without any payment over the Internet. The primary form factor of open-access content is digital, which is accessible on the Internet. The subsequent section will focus on the purpose of open access, which will clarify your understanding.  

What is the purpose of open access journal publishing?

purpose of open-access journal publishing

The primary purpose of open access journal publishing is to maximize the availability of research documentation, usually in research articles, book reviews, book chapters, or recorded communication regarding novel fact findings. The idea of open access journal publishing has erupted from the matured understandings which emphasize the belief that knowledge gained from public efforts must be freely accessible. It will not be cliche to say that publishing open-access content is a noble cause and indirectly affects millions.  

What are the types of open access journal publishing or mode of open access journal publishing?

Types of Open Access Journal

It has been divided into three categories. Each has been explained below;

Green Open Access

This mode of open access is closely coupled with the author’s intention. Intention means; whether authors are willing to put/archive their accepted research article(s) to their institutional repositories or other open-access sites. This arrangement empowers the authors to make the last version of their research paper available, even though it has been published in subscription-based journals.

Gold Open Access

This mode may give you a setback after knowing that it involves some form of cost to authors for open publishing access. However, this may provide immediate online access to the published article on the publisher’s website. Publishers following this mode demand payment as processing charges. In this mode, the author must assign the publishers a copyright. 

Hybrid Open Access

This mode involves the working principle from the above-discussed categories. An author can put their contents in open-access journals for availing to other readers.

I think you are well aware of “open access.” So, without wasting much time, let’s jump into the core part of this blog, which is all about open-access journals & open-access journal publishing.

What is an open-access journal?

Open Access

Don’t expect any contradictory definition of the real meaning of open access. To define this term, rewrite the term as “open access to the journal.” You will have the definition automatically by putting the meaning of open access in the first place and the meaning of journal in the second place. Still, if you are confused, read the paragraph below for the exact words. 

Definition of open access journal: Journals (collections of well-formatted and expert-reviewed research articles written by academics, research scholars, industry experts, or professors) that do not require any prerequisite (in the form of paid subscription or license) for accessing the inside articles are called open-access journals or open access journal publishing

Definition of open access journal

Journals having open access are not just free to read. Instead, the contents of such journals are also immune from most copyright and licensing restrictions. Anyone can have the reference of these articles for their future works. 

Open access journal publishing contents are open to all research communities and normal human beings. You are not required to purchase a subscription or any special license to access the published research articles in such journals. The most beautiful thing about these categories of journals is that they are “free.”

e-Journals

open access journal publishing contents were not very popular as there were no dedicated online infrastructures. Journals were in print form only. However, after the entrance of the Internet, many publishers have developed open access journal publishing websites. open access journal publishing contents can be accessed by anyone having a good internet connection. So, you might be clear now that this is a very generous arrangement to accelerate the research and development by subtracting the cost hurdles.

Recently, research funding agencies (mainly controlled by the national administration) are compressing researchers to make their findings open because the funding received from tax money should be reverted with positive outcomes.

What is the purpose of open access journal?

Researchers from many countries across the globe do not have the same financial support to afford the high subscription rates of closed-access journals. Due to this limitation, many good research scholars find it difficult to access others’ scholarly content and their relevant fields’ novel findings. In the research world, the word “reference” matters a lot. By referring to others’ research work, researchers can get handsome help in their tasks.

No payment for Research Publication

To overcome the above-cited problem, open access journal publishing has emerged. This journal believes that knowledge derived from public funding must be freely accessible to all researchers. The other reason open access journal publishing gained popularity is that publicly funded research works become very easy to access. The statement, as mentioned earlier, makes them more likely to be downloaded, read, and cited.  

What is the importance of open access journal publishing?

Research Paper Publishing

What we are today is only and only due to research, directly or indirectly—for example, our great fathers used to eat raw meat for survival. Still, eventually, medical science evolved, and via rigorous research/observations, we concluded that cooked stuff is way more beneficial to the human body and easy to digest. This is just a small example of the impact of research on human life. I can write a whole essay on this.

By the above discussion, there is no doubt that research is a nonneglectable part of our life to make our routine life more sustainable and prosperous. So, the journal’s open access brings this even further by allowing free access to research articles.

For most junior-level researchers, open access journal publishing allows them to take advantage of published scholarly work from experienced and expert researchers around the globe.

Researcher's Communication

From the author’s point of view, an article published in open access journal publishing gets more attention from citations worldwide as it is open to all. This also works as a motivation factor for contributing more in relevant fields. Furthermore, a higher number of citations can lead to a swelling number of inter researchers’ communication, making it even more fruitful for new directions.

How can I find open access journal publishing websites?

How can I find Open Access Journals?

Online directories are available to find open access journal publishing relevant to your research fields. These directories have a well-organized list of the journal with all details of volume and issues. However, make sure about the indexing status of these journals before publishing your articles. These directories will work as a one-stop solution for finding open access journal publishing websites. Famous players of this game are:

What are the open-access journals which have no publication fee for authors?

DOAJ for Open Access Journals

Finding an open-access journal that publishes the article for free is very tough and time-consuming. However, you may find such open-access journals via ISI . In ISI, you will have all journals’ categories. First, select the journals of your concern field and get the publisher details. Then, insert this publisher detail in BEALL’S LIST . While researching this type of journal, please read the authors’ section carefully. By this methodology, you might find a journal that accepts free publication.

One another way to find such journals is to visit the directory of open-access journals; You can follow below given steps:

  • Go to DOAJ
  • Enter your discipline or keywords in the Search box to search for journal titles.
  • On the results page, choose “Without article processing charges (APCs)” on the left. 

Who can start open-access journal publishing?

Start Open Access Journal

Any individual, institution, organization, NGO, national body, group of individuals or academician can start their open-access journal. There are no such difficult criteria to the full fill as a prerequisite for establishing the new open-access journals. The only requirement is that you have will power to start it; resources needed for the journal will be automatically prompted in front of you.

Would you like to start your own journal? Click here to make your journal website live in 2 weeks.

Start Open Access Journal >>
Open Access Journal publishing

What is the process of starting a new open-access journal?

To start a new open-access journal, you need basic things, which I have listed below in a step-by-step manner. If you acquire all these details well in advance, then any journal hosting service provider can establish your journal in 2-3 weeks. However, ISSN and indexing can take much time, depending upon which country you are in. So read each step carefully.

Steps for open access journal publishing Setup
  • Finding out the name of the journal and the area of research.
  • Obtain the ISSN for the journal.
  • Find an excellent editorial team.
  • Automated website with SMS, email support, and online publication.
  • Define all policies about an open journal system.
  • Licensing and indexing open journal system.
  • Advertise your journal.

Is there any open-source platform for open-access journals?

Open Journal System (OJS)

One world-renowned open-source platform is the “open journal system (OJS).” This platform allows anyone to start their journal website with readily available journal architecture and workflow. This platform already hosts more than 25000 open access journals. So, if you host your journal on this platform, you will get free popularity along with the overall workflow per the guidelines of leading indexing agencies like SCOPUS.

OJS allows us to manage, review, and organize all scientific content for later publication. Everything is handled by an editor located in servers to manage the contents better. It is also a system that helps to train people so that they can step by step assemble their journals in a very professional way. This is also important if you consider all the guidelines by Scopus and WOS. All these are the protocols to follow to take a scientific journal from 0 to publication and its ISSN.

What if I don’t know about the journal website development on OJS?

OJS Service Provider

Don’t worry; all the researchers need not know the website development technologies like HTML, CSS, Javascript, etc. Researchers from non-IT backgrounds may find this task difficult. 

To overcome the above-cited problem, you may hire a tech company with expertise in open journal system (OJS) hosting and setup. However, you need to pay the relevant remuneration. In addition, these service providers often offer fully customized OJS themes, which can make your journal website stand out from the crowd. On the contrary, you need to pay hefty charges for these add-ons. If you are not ready to pay an additional amount, you can go for the default OJS themes. 

Conclusion:

To summarize, I would say that the open-access movement is a blessing for the research community worldwide. Publishing your article in open-access journals can attract more attention from other researchers. All in all, open-access journals can contribute a lot to improving human life. In my opinion, all academicians should start their journals alone or in a group.