Skip to Main Content

Open Access

Provides guidance regarding open access scholarly publishing and information about avoiding predatory publishing

Full Gold Open Access

  • The final version of an article is freely and permanently accessible for everyone, immediately after publication.
  • No subscription fees are charged for any part of a journal that is fully gold open access.
  • Authors pay "article processing charges" or APCs to have their article published after acceptance.
  • Sometimes referred to as "Pure Gold Open Access."

Hybrid Gold Open Access

  • The final version of an article is freely and permanently accessible for everyone, immediately after publication.
  • Subscription fees are charged for the journal, but authors have the option to make their article accessible to all. Some articles in the journal which are not available via gold open access will only be accessible to subscribers.
  • Authors pay "article processing charges" or APCs to have their article published after peer review and acceptance.

Green Open Access

  • This the practice of placing a version of an author’s manuscript into a repository, making it freely accessible for everyone.
  • The version that can be deposited into a repository is dependent on the funder or publisher.  It may be the author's final peer-reviewed, accepted manuscript that can be deposited or the final publisher's version.
  • There is usually an embargo period, meaning that the author's manuscript cannot be made freely accessible until after a certain period of time has elapsed (often 12 months).
  • No article processing charges are paid.

MCW Libraries
8701 Watertown Plank Road
Milwaukee, WI 53226
(414) 955-8300

Contact Us
Locations & Hours
Send Us Your Comments