Cureus

A New Era of
Open Access Journals

What is open access and open research?

Open access (OA) refers to the free, immediate, online availability of research outputs such as journal articles or books, combined with the rights to use these outputs fully in the digital environment. OA content is open to all, with no access fees.

Open research goes beyond the boundaries of publications to consider all research outputs, from data to code and even open peer review. Making all outputs of research as open and accessible as possible means research can have a greater reach and help to solve some of the world's greatest challenges.

How can I publish my work open access?

As the author of a research article, you have the ability to ensure that your research can be accessed and used by the widest possible audience. Springer Nature supports immediate gold OA as the most open, least restrictive form of OA: authors can choose to publish their research article in a fully OA journal, a hybrid or transformative journal, or as an OA book or OA chapter.

Why should I publish OA?

• Increased citation and usage: Studies have shown that open access articles are viewed and cited more often than articles behind a paywall.
• Wider collaboration: Open access publications and data enable researchers to carry out collaborative research on a global scale.
• Greater public engagement: Content is available to those who cannot access subscription content.
• Accelerated dissemination: With Creative Commons licenses, researchers are empowered to build on existing research quickly.
• Increased interdisciplinary conversation: Open access journals that cross multiple disciplines help researchers connect more easily and provide greater visibility of their research.
• Compliance with open access mandates: Open access journals comply with major funding policies internationally.

What are Creative Commons licenses?

Open access works published by Springer Nature are published under Creative Commons Licenses. These provide an industry-standard framework to support re-use of OA material. Please see Springer Nature's guide to licensing, copyright and author rights for journal articles and books and chapters for further information.

How do I pay for open access?

As costs are involved in every stage of the publication process, authors are asked to pay an open access fee in order for their article to be published open access under a Creative Commons license.

What is open data?

We believe that all research data, including research files and code, should be as open as possible and want to make it easier for researchers to share the data that support their publications, making them accessible and reusable.

What is a preprint?

A preprint is a version of a scientific manuscript posted on a public server prior to formal peer review. Once posted, the preprint becomes a permanent part of the scientific record, citable with its own unique DOI.