Tag: open access journal

Demystifying the Open Journal System: A Guide for Researchers and Publishers

Post author By Varun Patel
Post date February 7, 2024
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Looking to start an open-access journal or to publish in open-access journals? The Open Journal System (OJS) is a powerful tool that can simplify and streamline the publishing process. In this comprehensive guide, we will demystify the OJS, providing researchers and publishers with the knowledge they need to navigate this popular platform.

With over 10,000 journals currently using the OJS, understanding its features and functionalities is essential for anyone looking to publish scholarly articles. From submitting manuscripts to peer review to publication, the OJS offers a seamless and user-friendly experience.

In this guide, we will walk you through the entire process, starting with an overview of the OJS and its benefits. We will explain how to set up an account, submit your manuscript, and navigate the peer review process. Additionally, we will explore the various customization options available to publishers, ensuring your journal stands out.

Whether you’re a seasoned researcher or new to the publishing world, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and tools to effectively utilize the Open Journal System (OJS). Let’s unlock the potential of OJS and get your research out into the world.

Benefits of using the Open Journal System

The Open Journal System (OJS) offers numerous benefits for researchers and publishers alike.

Firstly, it provides a platform for open-access publishing, allowing your research to reach a wider audience. By making your articles freely available, you can increase their visibility and impact.
Secondly, the OJS streamlines the publishing process. It provides a centralized system for manuscript submission, peer review, and publication. This eliminates the need for traditional, time-consuming processes, such as mailing physical copies of manuscripts. With the OJS, everything can be done online, saving time and resources.
Lastly, the OJS offers a robust archiving system. Once your articles are published, they are stored in a secure and easily accessible database. This ensures the long-term preservation and availability of your research even if the journal website goes out of service.

Overall, the benefits of using the Open Journal System are clear. It provides a reliable archiving solution. Let’s now explore the features of the OJS in more detail.

Features of the Open Journal System

The Open Journal System (OJS) is packed with features designed to enhance the publishing experience. One of its key features is the manuscript submission system. Researchers can easily create an account, upload their manuscripts, and track the progress of their submissions. This system provides transparency and allows authors to stay informed throughout the publication process.

Another notable feature of the OJS is its robust peer review system. The platform facilitates the review process by allowing editors to assign reviewers, track their progress, and manage feedback. Reviewers can access the manuscripts online, making the process more efficient and convenient.

The OJS also offers comprehensive publishing tools. Once an article is accepted, publishers can easily format and publish it on the platform. The system supports various file formats, ensuring compatibility with different types of content. Additionally, publishers can customize the appearance of their journal, giving it a unique and professional look.

In addition to these features, the OJS provides a range of administrative tools. Journal managers can easily track submissions, assign roles to team members, and manage the entire publishing workflow. This centralized system simplifies the management process and ensures efficient collaboration among team members.

Setting up the Open Journal System

Setting up the Open Journal System (OJS) is a little complex process. So, it is advisable to choose a service provider that offers OJS hosting.

Click Here to Consult OJS Hosting Provider>>

In case you want to set up OJS manually, then you can start by buying appropriate hosting. Once you have chosen a hosting option, you can proceed with the installation process. The OJS provides detailed documentation and installation guides to help you through the process. It typically involves downloading the software, configuring the server, and setting up the database.

After the installation is complete, you can start customizing your journal. The OJS allows you to create a unique look and feel for your journal by customizing the theme, logo, and colors. You can also configure settings related to user registration, submission guidelines, and publication workflows. Alternatively, you can go for the ready OJS theme available with the OJS service providers. Click Here to buy OJS theme>>

With the basic setup complete, you can now start accepting manuscript submissions. The OJS provides a submission form where authors can enter their article details, upload files, and provide any additional information. As the journal manager, you can easily review and manage these submissions through the OJS dashboard.

Once your journal is up and running, you can focus on managing submissions and navigating the peer review process.

Customizing the Open Journal System for your journal

One of the advantages of using the Open Journal System (OJS) is the ability to customize it according to your journal’s specific needs. The OJS offers a range of customization options that allow you to create a unique and professional journal.

Firstly, you can customize the visual appearance of your journal by selecting a theme and modifying the colors and fonts. The OJS provides a variety of pre-designed themes to choose from, or you can create your custom theme. This customization option allows you to align your journal’s visual identity with your brand or organization.

Secondly, you can customize the submission process to fit your journal’s requirements. The OJS allows you to define submission guidelines, specify required fields, and set up a submission workflow. This customization ensures that authors provide all the necessary information and follow the submission process specific to your journal.

Additionally, you can customize the peer review process in the OJS. You can define review criteria, assign reviewers, and set deadlines for review completion. This customization allows you to tailor the peer review process to meet the specific needs of your journal and ensure timely and thorough reviews.

Furthermore, the OJS allows you to customize the publication process. You can define publication workflows, set up article templates, and configure article metadata. This customization ensures that the articles published in your journal are formatted consistently and meet the necessary standards.

Managing submissions and peer review process in the Open Journal System

The Open Journal System (OJS) provides a user-friendly interface for managing submissions and the peer review process. As a journal manager, you have full control over the entire workflow, from submission to publication.

When a manuscript is submitted, you can easily access it through the OJS dashboard. The system provides a clear overview of all submissions, allowing you to track their progress and manage them efficiently. You can assign reviewers, track their progress, and manage the feedback they provide.

The OJS streamlines the peer review process by providing a platform for communication between authors, reviewers, and editors. Reviewers can access the manuscript online, making it easy for them to read, annotate, and provide feedback. Authors can respond to reviewers’ comments and make revisions directly within the OJS.
As a journal manager, you have the authority to make decisions based on reviewers’ recommendations. The OJS provides a simple interface for making editorial decisions, such as accepting, rejecting, or requesting revisions for a manuscript. Once a decision is made, you can communicate it to the authors through the system.

During the entire process, OJS meticulously records all activities and facilitates transparent editorial decisions. This guarantees accountability in the peer review process, enabling the generation of reports and collection of data for analysis and decision-making. These log reports play a crucial role when applying to prominent indexing agencies such as SCOPUS, WOS, PubMed, and others.

Managing submissions and the peer review process in the Open Journal System is made easy and efficient. The system provides all the necessary tools and features to streamline the workflow and ensure a smooth publication process. Now that you have successfully managed the peer review process, let’s explore how to publish and archive articles in the OJS.

Publishing and archiving articles in the Open Journal System

Publishing and archiving articles in the Open Journal System (OJS) is a seamless process that ensures the accessibility and long-term preservation of your research.

Once a manuscript has completed the peer review process, it is ready for publication. The OJS provides a user-friendly interface for publishing articles. You can easily format the manuscript according to the journal’s guidelines and convert it into a publishable format, such as PDF or HTML.

The OJS allows you to assign DOIs (Digital Object Identifiers) to your articles. DOIs are unique identifiers that provide a persistent link to your articles, ensuring their long-term accessibility. This allows readers to easily cite and reference your articles, increasing their visibility and impact.

Furthermore, the OJS provides a comprehensive archiving system. Once an article is published, it is stored in a secure and easily accessible database. The OJS supports various archiving standards, ensuring the long-term preservation and availability of your research. This archiving system ensures that your articles remain accessible even if the journal undergoes any changes or transitions.

The OJS allows you to create article collections or special issues. This feature enables you to organize related articles and showcase them as a curated collection. It also allows you to highlight important research or topics within your journal.

Promoting your journal using the Open Journal System

Promoting your journal is essential for increasing its visibility and attracting authors and readers. The Open Journal System (OJS) offers various features and tools to help you effectively promote your journal and reach a wider audience.

Firstly, the OJS allows you to create a journal website that showcases your journal and its content. You can customize the website’s design and layout to align with your journal’s brand or organization. Additionally, you can create sections on the website to highlight important articles, news, or announcements.

Secondly, the OJS provides a range of indexing and discovery options. You can register your journal with indexing services, such as DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals) or Google Scholar. This increases the visibility of your journal and allows it to be discovered by researchers and readers worldwide.

Furthermore, the OJS supports social media integration. You can easily share articles, announcements, or updates from your journal on social media platforms. This enables you to reach a wider audience and engage with potential authors and readers.

The OJS also offers email notifications and alerts. You can set up automated email notifications to inform authors about the status of their submissions or to notify readers about new articles or issues. This keeps authors and readers engaged and informed, increasing their involvement with your journal.

Additionally, the OJS provides usage statistics and analytics. You can track the number of article views, downloads, or citations to assess the impact and reach of your journal. This data can help you make informed decisions about your journal’s promotion and development.

Common challenges and solutions in using the Open Journal System

While the Open Journal System (OJS) offers numerous benefits and features, there can be challenges in using the platform. However, with the right knowledge and solutions, these challenges can be overcome.

One common challenge is the initial setup and installation of the OJS. For those new to the platform, it may seem daunting to configure the server, set up the database, and customize the journal. However, there are dedicated OJS hosting and service providers like us (www.ojscloud.com) where you can seek support.

Another challenge is managing the peer review process efficiently. With multiple submissions and reviewers, it can be challenging to track the progress and ensure timely reviews. To overcome this challenge, it is important to establish clear communication channels with reviewers and set clear expectations and deadlines. Additionally, utilizing the features of the OJS, such as automated reminders and notifications, can help streamline the process.

Furthermore, promoting the journal and attracting authors and readers can be a challenge. With numerous journals available, it can be difficult to stand out and gain recognition. To overcome this challenge, it is important to create a unique and professional website, register with indexing services, and leverage social media and email notifications to increase visibility.

Lastly, ensuring the long-term sustainability of the journal can be a challenge. Journals may face financial constraints or changes in editorial teams. To overcome this challenge, it is important to explore funding options, establish partnerships with institutions or organizations, and regularly review and update your journal’s policies and workflows.

Conclusion

This guide explores the Open Journal System (OJS) and its advantages for researchers and publishers. OJS provides a user-friendly platform for open-access publishing, streamlining processes, and offering robust archiving. We’ve highlighted benefits such as increased visibility, simplified workflows, and reliable archiving. The guide covers OJS features like manuscript submission, peer review, and customizable publishing tools. It includes a step-by-step setup guide, addressing common challenges with solutions. Whether you’re an experienced researcher or new to publishing, OJS provides a powerful platform to share your research globally.

Tags Digital Object Identifier, OJS, open access journal, Open Journal System, PKP, publication, Research Paper

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Unlocking the Power of DOI: A Comprehensive Guide to Citation

Post author By Varun Patel
Post date February 7, 2024
No Comments on Unlocking the Power of DOI: A Comprehensive Guide to Citation

As the digital age continues to transform the way we access and share information, the need for effective ways to identify and reference digital objects has become increasingly important. The Digital Object Identifier, or DOI, is a system that was developed to provide a persistent link to digital objects, such as journal articles, books, and datasets. This article will explore what DOI is capable of, how it works, and how to refer to or cite digital objects using a DOI.

In the academic world, citations play a crucial role in validating research, giving credit to authors, and allowing readers to access the sources used in a particular work. Among the various methods of citation, Digital Object Identifier (DOI) has emerged as a standard and reliable way to reference academic publications. This article aims to provide a detailed guide on how to effectively use DOI for citation purposes.

What is a DOI? in simple words

A Digital Object Identifier (DOI) is a unique alphanumeric string assigned to a digital object, typically an academic publication such as a journal article, book chapter, conference paper, or dataset. The primary purpose of DOI is to provide a permanent link to the online location of the publication, ensuring its accessibility and persistence over time.

Get Crossref DOI for your Journal >>

How DOI Works:

When a publication is assigned a DOI, it becomes a permanent and stable identifier that can be used to locate the resource on the internet. DOI links are designed to be persistent, meaning they remain functional even if the location of the publication changes. DOI facilitates accurate citation by providing a standardized format for referencing scholarly works.

Benefits of Using DOI for Citation:

1. Permanent Linkage:

Unlike URLs, which may change or become obsolete over time, DOIs provide a persistent link to the publication, ensuring its long-term accessibility.

2. Improved Traceability:

DOIs enable precise tracking and identification of scholarly works, making it easier for researchers to verify and reference sources.

3. Enhanced Credibility:

By using DOIs in citations, authors demonstrate a commitment to academic integrity and adherence to standardized citation practices, thereby enhancing the credibility of their work.

4. Facilitated Access:

DOI links streamline the process of accessing scholarly resources, allowing readers to quickly navigate to the source with a single click.

How to Find DOI:

1. Journal Websites:

Many scholarly journals display DOIs alongside articles on their websites. Look for a DOI link or DOI number usually located near the article’s title or in the citation information.

2. DOI Databases:

Several online databases, such as CrossRef and PubMed, allow users to search for DOIs by entering bibliographic information such as the title, author, or publication date of the article.

3. Citation Tools:

Reference management software like Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote often automatically retrieve DOIs for imported references, making it convenient for researchers to include them in their citations.

How to Format DOI in Citations:

When citing a publication with a DOI, it’s essential to include the DOI at the end of the citation in the following format:

Author(s). (Year). Title of the article. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Page range. DOI

For example:

Varun Patel, Hitesh Patel., & Jatin Patel, (2023). Understanding the impact of electric vehicles on the environment. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND ANALYTICAL REVIEWS, 15(3), 45-56. DOI: 10.1234/55789

It’s important to note that the DOI is typically preceded by the letters “DOI:” or “https://doi.org/” to indicate that it is a digital object identifier.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

1. Omitting DOI:

Failure to include the DOI in citations can make it difficult for readers to locate the source, undermining the credibility of the citation.

2. Incorrect Formatting:

Ensure that the DOI is formatted correctly according to the prescribed style guide (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago).

3. Using URL Instead of DOI:

While URLs may also lead to the publication, they are less reliable than DOIs and may become outdated over time. Always prioritize DOI over URL for citation purposes.

Conclusion

In an era characterized by the abundance of digital information, DOI has emerged as a valuable tool for ensuring accurate and persistent citation of scholarly works. By understanding how to effectively use DOI for citation purposes, researchers can enhance the credibility of their work, facilitate access to scholarly resources, and contribute to the integrity of the academic discourse. Embracing DOI as a standard citation practice not only benefits individual scholars but also advances the collective pursuit of knowledge in academia.

Tags crossref, crossref doi, Digital Object Identifier, DOI, OJS, open access journal, Open Journal System, Research

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Top Features of Open Journal System (OJS) for Open-Access Journal Website.

Post author By Varun Patel
Post date February 7, 2024

OJS Fetures 2023

The Internet has disrupted our life, specifically in “How we access information?”. No field remains immune to this groundbreaking innovation. Research is a field that is largely affected by the WWW. Documentation of the novel findings or alteration suggestions in existing findings is changed entirely. Open Journal System (OJS) has provided tremendous capabilities to its user for establishing the open-access journal website in 2-3 weeks.

Top Features of Open Journal System (OJS) for Open-Access Journal Website. 5

Entry of the OJS into the WWW makes the research digitization very efficient and manageable. As a result, many like to have these research articles at their fingertips, which means in the form of journal websites, specifically open-access journals. Access to research documentation in the form of a research article has become much easier than it was 10 years ago.

Top Features of Open Journal System (OJS) for Open-Access Journal Website. 6

Therefore, we cannot overlook the journal’s website performance and features. In this section, I would like to discuss the most important features provided by Open Journal System (OJS) to hosted websites.

Before moving ahead into the discussion, I would like to spare a little time on the elephant in the room, an “open access journal.” If you are new to the research world, you might not have heard about this group of words before. So, please read the below section to understand the background theory well so that advanced learnings become very easy.

What is an open-access journal?

Anything which doesn’t require any prior permission, license, subscription, or fee payment is called open access. The same phenomenon is applied to put this into the perspective of open-access journals.

Top Features of Open Journal System (OJS) for Open-Access Journal Website. 7

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

Note: Open-access journals are free for readers; however, they can charge some amount for publishing the articles.

Open-access journals 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 websites. In continuation, I would add that Open Journal System (OJS) is a very robust open-sourced platform to quickly establish such pen accessed journals website.

Open-access journals website 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.

Top Features of the Open Journal System (OJS):

Efficient OJS Themes:

With the recent upgrade, OJS has ready-to-use themes with endless color options. These themes are not just about looks but also agile in performance. These themes will allow you to set up your journal website quickly. Drag and drop facility is there for you in case you need to be made aware of HTML and CSS. Earlier themes were not easy to change as they required many template files. A recent upgrade has solved this problem by making template files stand alone.

Apart from the basic layout latest OJS allows customizing the theme as per the individual test and requirements. Many OJS Hosting Service Providers are available who can help you make your journal website more interactive and user-friendly with full customization.

Responsive Nature of OJS Theme

As mobile phone becomes the mode of internet access, the OJS website is no exception. Many researchers love accessing such websites via mobile phones, tablets, or handheld devices. These devices are of different screen sizes. So to put this variable display environment, OJS has provided responsive layout themes.

Fragmented and bifurcated stepwise procedure

The entire workflow has been divided into small parts, making it easy to work with and manage. Primarily this division consists of Accommodation {where novel requirements are entertained by affirmation or negation}, Survey {where peers check the content and revert to the creators so that they can edit the content} and Copyediting{where foreseen contents are stored for the final revision and ready to enter into the production}.

The great thing about the above-discussed steps is that each can be accessed individually and left to visit, which means jumping the sequence. This edition allows you to enroll the creator at any step for proper correction.

Dynamic User Swap

Generally, software systems are of a nature in which they do not allow the user role to change without reentering the credentials. OJS, on the other hand, allows you to change the user if you have logged in with the master credentials. This facility is very convenient for changing roles and doing tasks with rapid response. For example, you can become a reviewer and journal manager in one login. You do not require to log out from the system to change the role.

Interaction regarding publication

As you know, OJS has divided the entire journal management task into various stages named Accommodation, Survey, copyediting and production. The different user roles can collaborate via a simple messaging system during this phase. Apart from this, robust email facilities are also there for logging activity status. Peers can review each other’s work and comment also. This facility ensures that each stakeholder can take an interest in all activities. This is possible only and only due to the OJS new theme advancement.

Simple Registration

With this upgrade, enrollment in a new user’suser’s biome is very easy. The new registration form includes very few and extremely important fields to be filled in by the user. This form can be filled out by the user with no extra information. It can be submitted with handy or memorized basic information. After the form submission, new clients are informed via well formatted prescribed email.

Easy Task Assignment Mechanism

Another significant benefit of OJS is that you can swap between two different users who are experts. The swapping process is straightforward, and configuration options are available in the left sidebar. As a result, it has made the assignment of dual obligations easier.

Upgrade to the latest OJS 3.3.0-13 for New Features

You might be running a journal website on old OJS, due to which you might not have the new features. I request you to upgrade your OJS to the latest version which is OJS 3.3.0-13. Make sure that you take enough care during the upgrade because an OJS upgrade is a very complex process and demands expertise. One should take a full backup of the system before upgrading because sometimes upgrades may go wrong and data can be lost. If possible then higher experts for OJS Upgrade.

Conclusion

To wind up the discussion, I would definitely rate the current OJS version along with the discussed features on the higher side of the weight scale, as it provides extraordinary functionalities for the user. All the discussed functionality make the journal management task very efficient. I recommend upgrading to this version to maximize the new features.

Tags OJS, OJS fetures, open access journal, Open Journal System, Research

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The Benefits And Drawbacks Of Open-Access Journals

Post author By Varun Patel
Post date April 19, 2023

Open Access Journal

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Tags OJS, open access journal, Open Journal System

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How to Merge Two Journals with One OJS (Open Journal System)

Post author By Varun Patel
Post date February 28, 2023
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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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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)

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.

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 >>

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.

Tags journal, merge journal, OJS, open access journal, Open Journal System, Research, Research Paper

Uncategorized

What is Open Access Journal Publishing?

Post author By Varun Patel
Post date January 19, 2023
No Comments on What is Open Access Journal Publishing?

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.

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?

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?

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?

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

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.”

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.

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?

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.

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?

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:

Directory of Open Access Journals >> (sometimes referred to as the open access journals directory or DOAJ.)
International Scientific Indexing >>
BEALL’S LIST >> (List of Publishers)
Hindawi Publication >>

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

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?

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 >>

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?

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?

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.

Tags "open access to journals directory of open access journals open access journal publishing publishing open access journal open access", DOAJ, journal open access, OJS, open access journal, Open Journal System, PKP, publication, publishing open access, Research, Research Paper