Open Access Publishing: Evaluating Open Access Journals

Evaluating Open Access Journals 

Before deciding to publish in a new OA journal, consider checking the following information:

• Directory of Open Access Journals - Journals indexed in DOAJ after March 2014 (noted with a green check mark or "DOAJ Seal"), underwent a more stringent review process than journals indexed prior to that date.
• ​​ThinkCheckSubmit - This tool, produced with the support of a coalition from across scholarly communications in response to discussions about deceptive publishing, walks you through the process of evaluating journals.
• Indexing - Check if the journal is indexed in an established and reputable database such as MEDLINE or Web of Knowledge.
• Affiliations - Examine the journal's website for such information as affiliation with a university or professional organization, editorial board credentials, or acceptance rates. If you have doubts, contact members of the editorial board or article authors.
• Fees and copyright - See if publishing fees and copyright ownership are clearly indicated. For more information about your rights as an author, see the Know your copyrights tab.
• Memberships - Check if the publisher is a member of a reputable industry organization such as Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association or the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
• Ask around! One most helpful tip is asking your peers which open access journal they published in.