Skip to Main Content

Understanding Open Access

The purpose of this guide is to give VDOT employees a basic overview of "Open Access" journals (and other OA resources). This guide does not discuss "Open Data."

How do I make my research open?

Due to the complexity of Open Access, you have many options that may allow you to make your research accessible by making it more "open." You should review each Open Access option every time you publish an article. This will ensure that you select the Open Access option that best fits your situation. 

If you know prior to publication that you want your research to be Open, you will need to find an Open Access publisher. In some situations, it may not be possible to publish your work in an Open Access publisher, in which case you may want to investigate your options to self-archive

Intellectual Property/Author Rights

Whether you are interested in achieving Open Access or not, it is important to understand (and in some cases retain) your intellectual property rights as an author. Most journals require authors to sign a publishing agreement. These agreements need to be carefully reviewed by authors, as they could determine the rights that you have over your work after your article is published by a journal. Publication in some journals requires author consent to agreements that can later limit the intellectual property rights of the authors to their own works.
 

Strengthening Author Rights

Contact the Library:

530 Edgemont Road, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903
Ph: 434-293-1902 | E-mail: Library@vdot.virginia.gov
© Copyright 2024, VDOT. All rights reserved.

Visit the Library:

Hours: Mon.-Fri.: 8:30-4:30 | Closed: State holidays
Directions & Maps to the Library
Web Policy | Privacy Statement | VDOT Dashboard