Open Access vs. Traditional Publishing: How to Make the Right Choice

While it’s clear that getting your research published is important for researchers to grow their academic career, choosing between open access vs traditional publishing can be confusing. Especially, since 2018 data shows more than 42,000 active, scholarly peer-reviewed journals publishing content worldwide, a number that has been growing at over 5% in recent years.¹ Rapid digitalization and recent democratisation of research via open access journals has transformed the scientific publishing landscape, which makes the decision even more difficult. So, how do you make the right choice between open access vs traditional publishing? 

We know how important it is for researchers to find a good journal for their research to boost their credibility, visibility, career, and reputation. In this article, we explain the differences in open access vs traditional publishing and offer tips to help you make the right choice. 

Differences between open access vs. traditional publishing 

Open access publishing provides unrestricted access to academic research articles and allows readers to freely read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full text of the articles. The open access publishing model is supported by various funding models, such as article processing charges (APCs) paid by authors, institutional funding, or grants. On the other hand, the traditional publishing model publishes academic articles in journals, which are only accessible to paid subscribers, and these articles are usually protected by copyright laws that restrict their use and distribution. 

Open access vs. traditional publishing: Advantages and Disadvantages 

Open access publishing comes with many advantages. Free and immediate access to research articles leads to faster dissemination of research findings to a wider audience, going beyond students, researchers, and practitioners to the general public. This increased visibility also boosts the impact of your research, opening up doors for collaboration and interdisciplinary research. On the other hand, disadvantages of open access publishing are the mandatory APCs for authors with limited funding, with some researchers hesitant to choose open access publishing due to concerns related to the quality, credibility, and reputation of some open access journals.  

There are also several advantages to traditional publishing. The established reputation and prestige of traditional journals, combined with their stringent quality controls and rigorous peer reviews, makes this a preferred choice for many researchers. However, the limited access to journal articles and high subscription costs can limit the visibility and reach of published research, while the lengthy publication timelines can make the traditional publishing a long, tiresome process.  

How to choose between open access vs. traditional publishing  

Now that you know the differences between open access vs traditional publishing, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each, it may be easier to make a choice. If you’re still unsure how to choose between open access publishing and traditional publishing models, here are a few key considerations that can help you make the right choice.  

1. Visibility: Open access articles are freely available online, increasing the visibility, reach and potential citations by a wider audience, while traditional publishing offers greater prestige and credibility through established journal titles. 
2. Publication speed: Some open access publications have faster turnaround times than traditional journals, allowing researchers to get their work published faster, while traditional journals may offer more rigorous peer review processes that slow down publication time. 
3. Audience and subject: Open access publishing usually works well for researchers whose work focuses on subjects that have a broader societal impact, as they can reach wider more varied audiences. Traditional publishing, on the other hand, may be more appropriate for researchers working in specialized fields with a smaller readership comprising subject-matter experts.  
4. Citations: Some studies indicate that open access articles are potentially cited more frequently than articles behind paywalls. However, there are multiple factors behind citations, so this claim remains debated. For example, some may argue that subscription-based traditional publishing comes with increased prestige, which can lead to more citations. Nevertheless, this is something to consider when making a choice between open access vs traditional publishing. 
5. Funding requirements: Some funding agencies require that the research they fund be published as open access, which may make it the only option for researchers seeking funding. Be sure to check for this clause in advance to avoid agonizing over choosing between open access vs traditional publishing. 
6. Copyright considerations: In open access publishing, authors retain the copyright of their work but need to align with the principles of scientific openness, transparency, and accessibility. On the other hand, in traditional publishing, authors pass on the copyright to journals, who put curbs on how this research is used. 
7. Costs involved: Open access publishing often requires authors to pay APCs, while traditional publishing may have lower publishing costs or no fees at all. Researchers should consider the potential return on investment when weighing these costs when choosing between open access vs traditional publishing options. 
8. Credibility and quality: Be sure to watch out for and avoid predatory journals that charge authors for publication without providing essential editorial inputs. Carefully evaluate the quality and credibility of a journal regardless of your final choice between open access vs traditional publishing. 

While traditional publishing and open access publishing have their own advantages and disadvantages, the decision on which publishing model to choose for your research should be based on what is most appropriate for your career goals and research objectives. We hope this article has helped make your choice between open access vs traditional publishing easier.  

References: 

1. Wilkinson, J. How to find the right journal for your research (using actual data). Clarivate, June 2022. https://clarivate.com/blog/how-to-find-the-right-journal-for-your-research-using-actual-data/