How do I find the right open access journal?

Table of contents

Publishing research findings

Now that you have completed your research, it is time to publish the results. But the question is where. More and more publishers have started to publish in open access in recent years, and each of them sets different conditions for publication. In addition, the criteria for financing publication costs can vary as well. So how do I find out where it makes sense to publish my article in open access?

Tools to make your search easier

A number of useful tools are available to simplify your search:

Directory of Open Access Journals

With the DOAJit is possible to search for Open Access journals using detailed filter criteria. The DOAJ also only lists scientific journals that have passed a quality check.

Journal-Recommender:

  • B!son: With B!son, you can quickly and efficiently find journals that best suit your needs. By entering title and abstract of the article and the DOIs of the relevant literature it contains, a list of possible journals is generated with just a few clicks. HTW Berlin provides access to a version of B!son specially developed for all members of the university.

  • Other dedicated journal recommenders: If you want to publish with a specific publisher, in some cases it is possible to use a journal recommender from the chosen publisher, such as those of Elsevier or Wiley.

Lists of subject-specific OA-Journals:

  • Another option is to find out whether there are any open access journals that are particularly relevant to your subject area.
  • Under this link you can find subject-specific information on Open Access.

Criteria for scientific quality control

After finding a journal that seems to meet our needs, it is advisable to briefly check whether it fulfils certain basic quality criteria. You can do this by clarifying certain questions, such as:

  • Does the journal meet the scientific standards of my discipline?
  • Does the journal fulfil technical criteria such as the use of permanent identifiers (e.g. DOI, URN) or CC licences?
  • Is the journal recognised in my field? (e.g. do experts whose work I know publish there? Are there any recognised members from my specialist field among the editors?)
  • Are the review processes, members of the editorial board and other organisational standards clearly explained by the publisher?
  • If present, are the costs associated with publication clearly stated?

Alternatively, you can use the detailed Think, Check, Submit questionnaire to check the quality of the journal.