Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)
SciRev (Scientific Review Process)
Responsible Journals (Responsible Editorial Policies)
Transpose (Database of Journal Policies)
FOAA (Fair Open Access Alliance) Breakdown of Publication services & Fees
Plan S Open Access Policy
Top Factor A new journal metric is being introduced that will rank academic journals based on their commitment to research transparency and reproducibility, rather than traditionally used citation counts. https://thepublicationplan.com/2020/03/26/the-top-factor-a-new-journal-metric-to-assess-transparency-and-reproducibility-policies/
Journal TOC's Scholarly Journal Tables of Contents (including Open Access Journals)
SHERPA/RoMEO is an online, free-to-use database that provides information on publishers' copyright and open access archiving policies, helping authors understand their rights for self-archiving their research. The service aggregates and analyzes policies to detail which version of an article can be archived, where it can be placed, and any conditions like embargo periods. SHERPA/RoMEO details these policies on a journal-by-journal basis, providing crucial information for researchers to comply with copyright regulations and disseminate their work widely.
https://openpolicyfinder.jisc.ac.uk/
Key aspects of SHERPA/RoMEO:
Publisher Policies:
It compiles and presents the open access and archiving policies of publishers worldwide.
Author Rights:
The database helps authors understand which version of their manuscript (submitted, accepted, or published) they can deposit in online platforms.
Self-Archiving Conditions:
SHERPA/RoMEO clarifies conditions for self-archiving, such as required embargo periods, acceptable locations for the archived version, and necessary acknowledgments.
Color Key (Historical):
While a color-coded system was previously used to indicate policies (e.g., green for full archiving, white for no formal permission), the service now provides more detailed classification schemes for each publication state.
Free Online Tool:
It is a freely available online resource provided by Jisc, a UK-based digital services company.
How it helps researchers:
Compliance:
Researchers can ensure their self-archiving practices comply with publisher copyright policies, avoiding copyright infringement.
Dissemination:
By understanding the policies, authors can effectively share their work and increase its visibility and impact.
Journal Selection:
The information helps authors choose journals that align with their open access and archiving goals, selecting journals that allow for the widest possible dissemination of their research.
Open Access (OA) publishing ensures that your research is freely available to a global audience, enhancing its visibility and impact. This guide outlines the three primary OA routes: Gold, Green, and Diamond, and provides information on how SETU researchers can comply with institutional and funder requirements while maximising the reach of their work. This guide aligns with the SETU Open Research Policy, which details the university’s commitment to transparency, collaboration, and accessibility in research.
Gold Open Access (APCs)
Gold OA typically involves an Article Processing Charge (APC) paid by the author or institution to make an article freely available immediately upon publication. Through IREL arrangements, SETU has Read and Publish Agreements with several major publishers, allowing researchers to publish OA without additional APC costs within an annual quota of articles. These agreements operate on a first-come, first-served basis. The SETU corresponding author will be given the opportunity to avail of this during article submission, for as long as the quota remains available. To read the APC SETU Library Libguide visit here
Participating Publishers:
To check if a journal is included in these agreements, visit: http://bit.ly/irelOAjournals (consult the README tab for search instructions).
Green Open Access
Green OA allows researchers to publish in any journal while also depositing a version of their work in a repository. This route provides free access to research, often after an embargo period, and is a viable alternative when an APC-free journal is not available.
SETU researchers can deposit their work via PURE: https://research.setu.ie/. Researchers should follow FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) when making their data available in repositories, in line with the SETU Open Research Policy.
Diamond Open Access
Diamond OA journals do not charge APCs and are often funded by institutions or scholarly societies. The quality of these journals is not diminished by the absence of fees—authors, reviewers, and editors ensure rigorous peer review and editorial oversight, just as in traditional paid models.
The European Commission recognizes the value of Diamond OA in promoting equitable access to high-quality research and is working to support Diamond journals through shared principles, guidelines, and quality standards.
Academic Freedom and Institutional Policies
SETU upholds academic freedom, allowing researchers to choose their preferred publishing venue. You do not need an APC to fulfill your open access obligations—Green OA allows you to comply with funder requirements regardless of where you publish. For guidance on repository deposits or OA requirements, contact the library.
Institutional Policy Alignment
SETU has signed the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) and is a member of COARA (Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment), having signed the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment. These commitments reinforce SETU’s position that research should be evaluated based on intrinsic quality and contribution rather than journal-level metrics.
Research Assessment and Responsible Metrics
Compliance & Support
All SETU researchers are expected to adhere to the SETU Open Research Policy, which outlines obligations for Open Access publishing, research data management, and compliance with funder requirements. Researchers should ensure their outputs, including publications and datasets, are deposited in the institutional repository to facilitate accessibility and compliance.
For further information on Open Access publishing, contact the SETU Library or Research Office.
SETU has joined Irish Research Electronic Library (IReL) which is a consortium of Irish Research Libraries providing access to licensed e-resources, Open Access Publishing Agreements and open science infrastructure. It delivers quality peer-reviewed online research publications: journals, ebooks, databases and index & abstracting services.
This positive development enables Technological Universities and Institutes of Technologies to avail of a selection of IReL Resources. You can access these databases with new or expanded content which have been added to our existing online collection on our A-Z library databases with the IREL tag included by the database name.
IREL Resource List
SETU library provides access to the following IREL resources:
To view the Open Access Publishing Libguide visit - IReL Libguide
Open Access Agreements
This page provides details of open access agreements with publishers facilitated by IReL which typically allow corresponding authors from eligible institutions to publish their articles open access immediately on publication.
IReL has adopted the LIBER principles in seeking seeking such agreements with publishers.
Here’s a list of all the journals IReL affiliated authors can publish OA with under these agreements: http://bit.ly/irelOAjournals
