Presentation outlining current Open Access Policies affecting University of Kent researchers and the support available.

1. An Introduction to Open
Access
Dr. Nicola Cooper

2. What is Open Access?
• The term ‘Open Access’ refers to unrestricted access to peer-reviewed
research outputs via the Internet, free of charge and free of most copyright
and licensing restrictions.
• Open Access is often referred to as Gold or Green.

3. Routes to Open Access (OA)
Gold
• Articles available free of charge to
the reader and free of most
copyright restrictions
• Author/Institution may be required
to pay a publication fee (article
processing charge or APC)
• ‘Hybrid’ model - subscription-
based but with the option of OA
for an author
Green
• Deposit in an institutional or subject
repository
• Articles freely available
• Most commonly deposit of post-
print (after peer review)
• May be subject to embargo-period
(usually 6-12 months)

4. ‘Diamond’ Open Access
• Free Open Access Journals
• Immediate access to the final, published version of the article
• The researcher pays no fee to the Journal
• e.g. feminists@law

5. Why Publish Open Access?
• Increases the visibility of your research. Evidence shows the impact of publishing OA
on the number of citations an article receives
• Articles whose authors have supplemented subscription-based access to the publisher’s version by
self-archiving their own final draft to make it free for all on the web are cited significantly more
than articles in the same journal and year that have not been made OA*
• Accelerates research as a whole
• Allows taxpayers to access research paid for by public funds and allows students to
access the latest research findings
• Improved University of Kent research profile and the use of University of Kent
research
• Ensures compliance with Research Funders policies (RCUK,Wellcome Trust,
European Commission) thereby increasing the chances of future funding
• Ensures compliance with the University of Kent OA Policy
• Ensures submission to post-2014 REF complies with HEFCE OA requirements
*GargouriY et al(2010) PLoS ONE 5 (10):e13636

6. RCUK Open Access Policy
• Effective from 1st
April, 2013
• Applies to all peer reviewed research articles and conference
proceedings that acknowledge funding from UK’s Research councils.
• OA can be through Gold or Green routes
• If via the Green route with a delay of no more than 6 months after
publication for STEM disciplines and 12 months for arts, humanities, and
social sciences.This has been extended, for the 5 year transition period,
to 12 months for STEM and 24 months for arts, humanities, and social
sciences
• All research papers to include a statement of how underlying materials,
such as data, can be accessed.

7. University of Kent OA Policy
• University of Kent OA Policy (1st
April, 2013)
• The University supports the principles and objectives of OA and Open
Science
• Where possible it will make all forms of output from its research
available freely and accessible in ways that allow them to be used and re-
used for the benefit of wider society.Any underlying data referred to
should also be available on the same basis, where appropriate
• The University is also committed to the principle that research should be
published in the most suitable outlet for the intended primary audience
and that such decisions may be subject specific

8. University of Kent OA Policy
• The University has a preference for Green Open Access, as a way of
achieving a wider and more feasible form of access to its publications, but
supports Gold Open Access where appropriate and within available
resources.
• The University requires all research publications produced by staff as part of
their employment are registered in KAR

9. Higher Education Funding Council for
England (HEFCE) Proposal
• Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) Policy for open
access in the post-2014 Research Excellence Framework which states:
• to be eligible for submission to the post-2014 REF, authors’ final peer-reviewed manuscripts must
have been deposited in an institutional or subject repository on acceptance for publication
• the requirement applies only to journal articles and conference proceedings with an International
Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
• the policy applies to research outputs accepted for publication after 1 April 2016
• the policy allows repositories to respect embargo periods set by publishers.Where a publication
specifies an embargo period, authors can comply with the policy by making a ‘closed’ deposit on
acceptance.
• It will not apply to monographs, book chapters, other long-form publications,
working papers, creative or practice-based research outputs, or data.

10. What is the University of Kent doing to
support OA? Via the Green Route
• Deposit your publication in the Kent Academic Repository (or a subject
based repository)
• The University provides central support (within Information Services) for Green Open
Access through KAR and related services (such as advice on publisher OA policies).
• The publication (usually the peer-reviewed final manuscript) should be deposited within
three months of acceptance for publication (for REF compliance) and, if applicable,
appropriate embargo periods can be set so that the full text becomes available
automatically after the end of the embargo period.
• Electronic University of Kent ResearchTheses into KAR from September 2014.
• For advice contact karadmin@kent.ac.uk

11. What is the University of Kent doing to
support OA? Via the Gold Route
• Request an APC Payment (for OA via the Gold Route)
• The University of Kent receives RCUK funding for APC payments and considers
requests for funding for APCs by RCUK-funded authors if:
• green OA (via a repository) is not available or the embargo period of a journal exceeds the
RCUK requirements for OA via the green route
• University may also fund articles by non-RCUK funded authors that are highly rated by
Schools (equivalent to 3* or 4* in the REF)
• Currently we have institutional accounts for APC at reduced rates with IEEE andWiley
(can also be used by authors whose APCs are not funded by the University)
• A limited number of APC vouchers are available for authors publishing in Royal Society
of Chemistry journals.
• All authors can request APC funding or ask for advice via apcharges@kent.ac.uk

12. What is the University of Kent doing to
support OA? Open Access Journals
• Kent Open Access Journals are currently hosted on:
• Open Journal System
• Journal Management and Publishing System
• Hosting costs $800/year
• E.g. feminists@law
• Blogs.Kent
• Staff or research postgraduates can apply for a blog
• It’s quick and easy to setup
• E.g. Political Almanac, Skepsi (student led journals)

13. What is the University of Kent doing to
support OA? Open Access Journals
• Other Blog sites
• Word Press – Contention (student led journal)
• Scribd – Splinter (student led journal)
• Publications Advisory Board:
• Chaired by Simon Kirchin (Dean of Humanities) and consisting of academics,
Information Services and Research Services
• To advise on issues including selection of new OA Journals, on services provided to
Journal teams, publication policies and future strategic direction.
• For advice and information contact oajournals@kent.ac.uk

14. What is the University of Kent doing to
support OA? OA Steering Group
• Directors of Research from all faculties (or representatives), Research Services,
Information Services
• Meet every 6 weeks
• Remit: to provide direction, shape OA projects and identify where work is required

15. For further information:
•University of Kent OA Webpages
• http://www.kent.ac.uk/library/research/open-access/index.html