Benefits of open access publishing

Still wondering if it is good to publish in open access journals?

Publishing open access (OA) offers a number of benefits by removing barriers to your work. Therefore driving forward the opportunity for global recognition, invention and and innovation.

On this page you will find five key benefits of open access and the important factors to think about when considering publishing open access.

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Five key benefits of publishing open access 

Visibility and impact

Open research is available to anyone across the globe, at any time. Greater visibility can result in increased readership and citations of your research article. Both can help your career and funding prospects. 

Examples of open access articles that gained wide visibility and made an impact in the research world: 

      • Articles published Open Select (hybrid open access) with Taylor & Francis typically receive 95% more citations** and over 7 times as many downloads*** compared to those that are not published Open Select.  

      • Open Select gives you the option to make an article gold OA in one of our 2,300 subscription-based journals. This option is also known as “hybrid open access”. 

      *Total number of article downloads, from online publication to December 31 2020. 

      **Citations received up to 9th June 2021 for articles published in 2016-2020 in journals listed in Web of Science®. Data obtained on 9th June 2021, from Digital Science’s Dimensions platform.

      ***Usage in 2018-2020 for articles published in 2016-2020  

            Make an impact beyond the institution

            There’s increasing pressure on researchers to show the societal impact of their research. Open access can help your research reach new readers, not just those with easy access to a research library. 

            Publishing OA can help policymakers, non-government agencies, the media, educators, and practitioners put your research into action. Read our guide on research impact and what it means for you and your work.

            Wide public engagement

            With open access, you’re free to share your research around the world with no restrictions or paywall.  Your work will be freely available to those who can’t access subscription content.

            Increased citation and usage

            When publishing open access, you will usually get a choice of Creative Commons licenses. Liberal licenses can offer more opportunities for research to be reused, allowing others to build on your work.

            Your research can have a greater impact if others are able to draw on it and then include parts of it in their own research. This can improve interdisciplinary conversation and they will of course have to credit your work. 

            Compliance with funder mandates

            An increasing number of authors are required to publish OA by their funder, institution, or employer.  Find out what you need to do to ensure you comply with funder open access policies.

            You will also find a list of open access policies for the major funders, with a summary of the key points for each one. 

            Should I publish in an open access journal?

            There are many factors to consider when deciding where and how to publish your research. Here are some questions to consider to help you know if choosing open is right for you: 

              Make sure the open access journal you’re publishing in is good quality and reliable.