Frequently asked questions

What is gold open access?

Gold open access (OA) means that the final version of an article is freely and permanently accessible online for everyone from the moment it is first published.

With gold OA, authors retain the copyright to the work. An article publishing charge (APC) is usually associated with publishing gold OA.

Learn more about the gold open access publishing option.

What is meant by green open access?

Green open access (OA) also known as self-archiving, is when an earlier version of an author’s manuscript is placed into a repository, making it freely accessible for everyone.

Learn more about green open access.

What is the difference between gold OA and green OA?

Gold OA is where an author publishes in an online open access journal. Green open access is where an author publishes in any journal and then self-archives a copy in a free accessible repository.

Read this guide for information on our gold OA and green OA publishing options.

Do all journals have an Article Publishing Charge (APC)?

No, but if you’re submitting to a fully open access (OA) journal, or a hybrid journal and choose the open access route, there is usually an APC to pay if your submission is accepted for publication. You can find the standard APC for any Taylor & Francis journal using our OA cost finder.

Some authors could be eligible for a reduced rate as well as discounts/waivers. There are also OA memberships and agreements, and some society memberships may offer reduced APCs.

How do I request an APC discount or waiver?

If you are eligible for a waiver or discount as part of your country-based waiver policy, you will be notified on the ‘Charges’ page of your submission system.

If you do not wish to request a waiver, you will be required to select who will be paying the APC invoice when issued. Also, if you have been given a discount code, there will be a space provided to apply the discount.

Read our guide on how to request an article publishing charge discount or waiver for more information.

What is the difference between open access and free access?

Open access articles are permanently available while a free access article may be freely available for only a set period of time. Free access articles will also not usually have a creative commons license allowing reuse, while open access articles are formally licensed so that anyone may reproduce the content, provided they credit the original source.

Here’s a quick guide to definitions of publishing terms.