An essential aspect of the science and the academic world is publishing research paper and articles. All the researchers, professors or students would like their works used by as many people as possible. However, the question that arises is, what is the correct approach to attain this objective, open access journals or subscription based journals?
This question is more relevant than ever in today’s digital age. Information has become more accessible than ever thanks to the Internet, but researchers often get confused at this crossroads of journals. In this article, we will analyze both options in depth — their advantages, disadvantages, and which option is more suitable for your needs.
What are Open Access Journals?
Open access journals are journals in which published content is freely available on the Internet. Anyone, be it a researcher, student, or general reader — can read, download, or share this content without any subscription fee.
Major benefits of open access:
Public access – Anyone can read articles without paying.
More readers and citations – Your research will reach more people, which will also increase its impact.
Faster publication process – Often the review and publication process in open access journals is faster than traditional journals.
Suitable for the digital age – These journals better support digital media and online studies.
Disadvantages of open access:
Publication fees – Authors often have to pay ‘Article Processing Charges (APC)’, which can range from ₹ 10,000 to ₹ 2 lakh.
Sometimes lack of quality – Not all open access journals have a rigorous review process, raising questions about quality.
Threat of fake journals – Some predatory journals extort money in the name of open access and do not follow a proper review process.
What are subscription journals?
Subscription journals are those that users or institutions have to pay a subscription fee to read. These journals are often published by large publishers and follow a high level peer review process.
Advantages of subscription journals:
High quality and prestige – articles published in these journals have often undergone credible and rigorous scientific evaluation.
Low or zero publication fees – in most cases the author does not have to pay; publishing is free.
Place in acclaimed journals – such as Nature, Science, Elsevier, Springer etc., which is beneficial for career growth.
Disadvantages of subscription journals:
Limited readership – only those who have a subscription or whose institution has paid can read.
Limited access to research – your work may not reach the general public or researchers in poor countries.
Slow publication process – the review and publication process can be lengthy.
What should you choose?
The question: which one is better open access or subscription journals, should be left to the side but rather depends on the needs and resources and objectives.
If you are a young researcher:
If you have limited funds, publishing in subscription journals may be a good fit.
But if you want your research to reach a wider audience, you can consider open access as well — provided you can afford to pay the APC fees.
If your goal is global reach:
Open access is the best strategy in case you do not want your article to be available to only a few people who might be interested in reading it and in case you want the students in underdeveloped countries to read your article.
If your research is highly technical or specialized:
And you want it to be read only by experts, subscription journals are more suitable, as their readership is at the academic level.
If you have your eyes set on awards, promotions or high-profile research grants:
Publishing in prestigious subscription journals may be more beneficial to your professional career.
A new option: Hybrid journals
Many journals are working on a hybrid model these days. This means that some articles in the same journal are open access, while others are subscription-based. You can choose whether your article is open access or not. Although this also has an APC, it can be a flexible option.
Some trusted open access journals
PLOS ONE
- BioMed Central
- DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals)
- eLife
- Frontiers Journals
- Some reputable subscription journals
- Nature
- Science
- The Lancet
- Elsevier’s Cell
- Springer’s Journal of Materials Science
Conclusion
Both open access and subscription journals have their advantages and disadvantages. If you only want wide reach and impact, open access may be better. If you prioritize quality, reputation, and career growth, focus on subscription journals.
The best approach may be to make a balanced use of both at different stages of your career — publishing in subscription journals early on, and moving to open access later when funding or prestige are available.
