Complying with research funder and REF open access requirements: Roadmap

Open Access Roadmap

Keep REF Eligible and Funder compliant

   Quick links to open access services and resources   

About this page

Promoted across the University through a poster and postcard campaign, the open access roadmap highlights the simple steps that need to be undertaken by academics to bring about open access, whilst ensuring REF eligibility and full compliance with funder's open access policies.

The primary steps are undertaken during the academic publishing workflow. Click on the panels below to reveal more tools, tips and resources.

 

(1) When your draft is complete and ready for submission

 

 

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Check journal permissions

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  How?

 

  • Go to Sherpa/RoMEO and enter the name of a journal to which you intend to submit
  • Note which version you are permitted to self-archive (see publishing workflow on this page)
  • Make sure you keep a copy of this version of the paper.

  Why?

  • Copyright transfer agreements usually transfer your copyright to the journal, though publishers typically allow you to deposit the author accepted manuscript in a repository after an embargo period
  • Consider submitting articles to journals which permit a version on a repository. However, if the most appropriate publication does not allow self-archiving (either at all, or within the given embargo periods) then author choice takes precedence. This would meet one of the exceptions listed by UKRI for the Post-2014 REF.

 

Check compliance with your funder's policy

<<Click to reveal>>

  How?

 

  • Go to Sherpa/FACT and enter your funder and the name of a journal to which you intend to submit
    • This tool is focused on UKRI and COAF funders
  • Or check the funder's policy directly from their website, e.g. COAF / UKRI
  • Or check out our page containing live feeds from external resources and additional information on funder policies for Brunel authors
  • Or contact openaccess@brunel

 

  Why?

  • Some funders have open access policies which may mandate immediate open access
    • from the publisher website upon publication (Gold OA)
    • or that a version be deposited in a certain repository within a certain time (Green OA)
  • Not to comply with your funder policy may risk future funding.

 

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(2) When your article is accepted for publication

 

  

 

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Record and deposit the accepted version into BRAD:

<<Click to reveal>>

  How?

 

  Why?

  • Brunel University London requires all research outputs be recorded and deposited through BRAD, in a form permissible by the publisher.
  • UKRI have introduced open access requirements for the next REF. From the 1st April 2016 the policy requires journal articles and conference proceedings be made open access by deposit into an online repository within 3 months of acceptance.

 

Apply for APC funding:

<<Click to reveal>>

  How?

BRAD image

  Why?

  • Brunel University London manages a block grant from UKRI to support their authors in complying with their open access policy.
  • For all other authors Brunel has established a central fund that is available to academic staff who wish to disseminate their papers through a Gold model

 

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(3) When your paper is published

 

 

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Update publication record in BRAD

<<Click to reveal>>

  How?

  • Visit our page on updating your BRAD profile
  • The basic steps are as follows
    • Your publications record should be maintained by claiming publication metadata from datasources within the system like Scopus, Web of Science and CrossRef.
    • The system attempts to link this automatically to the basic metadata record entered on acceptance

  Why?

  • The data in BRAD is used for a number of vital business processes such as:
    • the dissemination of outputs and citations through staff profiles.
    • REF submission
    • checking Funder compliance
    • Updating data in other systems, like BURA

Wondering about document versions? The academic publishing workflow, outlined above, indicates the differences between your accepted manuscripts and final published versions.

 

Follow the checklist in the "think! check! submit!" resource to avoid predatory publishers if selecting a fully gold open access journal

 

Print the promotional postcard below or request a copy from openaccess@brunel

Feedback

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Please send any feedback to openaccess@brunel.ac.uk

Subjects: Research