Open Access and Publishing

There are several routes for Open Access publishing, among which the following stand out:

Golden route
Open Access publishing involves the payment of an Article Processing Charge (APC) by the author.

Green route
The availability of the post-print version (author’s accepted manuscript) in a digital repository, always respecting the open access policies for each version of the journal article

Transformative route.
Publication resulting from agreements between publishers and institutions that allow authors to publish Open Access in journals traditionally available by subscription. In these cases, the publication costs are usually covered by the institutional agreement, meaning authors do not pay Article Processing Charges (APCs) directly.

For further information see:
FCT - Open Access
B-on - Open Access
Open Access Network
ESAC initiative – Transformative Agreements

Golden Open Access Journals (GOA)
All published articles are available in Open Access for reading. However, the authors or their institutions usually cover the publication costs by paying an Article Processing Charge (APC).

Hybrid journals
They are subscription-based journals in which some articles are published as Open Access upon payment of an Article Processing Charge (APC).

Diamond journals
Both readers and authors are free from financial barriers, with access being free of charge. These journals are usually funded by public institutions, academic organizations or non-profit entities.

For further information see:
Diamond Open Access
Open Access Network

Here you can find initiatives and official documents related to the topic of Open Access:
Plan S
Diamond Open Access (OA)
San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment
Horizon Europe mandate for publications
Barcelona Declaration on Open Research
Policy on Open Access to Scientific Publications resulting from FCT

In Open Access publishing, copyright management is essential for authors to retain control over their work. The use of open licenses allows for clear definition of the conditions for use, sharing, and reuse of content.

For further information see:
Creative Commons
DOAJ - copyright and licensing

On the following platforms it is possible to search for journals and their respective Open Access policies.

For further information see:
Open Finder Policy
Directory of Open Access Journal (DOAJ)

Predatory activity in the scientific field refers to deceptive practices promoted by conferences, publishers, and journals that solely aim to generate profit without ensuring minimum standards of quality and scientific rigor. Examples include conferences held in attractive locations but with low academic value, journals that charge high processing fees while adopting poor-quality publishing practices, and publishers that demonstrate little transparency in their editorial processes. These practices not only harm authors financially and reputationally but also compromise the credibility and quality of research output.

For further information see:
Think. Check. Submit.
Think. Check. Attend.

Here you can find educational materials related to the topic of Open Access and Publishing:
Research Academy Elsevier – Publication process