Converting Journals to Open Access

Dreher (2021) conducted a qualitative survey of editors of humanities journals that had converted to open access. One interviewee noted that visibility had increased strongly both for readers and potential authors, and that submissions were much more numerous than before conversion (p. 13). Advantages such as these mean that more and more journals are successfully converting to an open access model (Open Access Directory, 2021). The process of converting traditional subscription-based journals to open access is also known as “journal flipping”.

When converting a scholarly journal to open access, various parameters – for example the journal concept, policy and technical realisation – must be rethought (Solomon et al., 2016). Editorial workflows often have to be changed, too, especially if the journal is leaving its current publisher. In any case, converting to open access requires careful preparation and planning. Several studies have reported that flipping a journal generally takes at least a year (Dreher, 2021; Solomon et al., 2016). To outline this process in more detail, the present article addresses important points that should be considered when converting a journal to open access. Basic recommendations for action have been drawn from Edig and Rücknagel (2022).

There are several reasons to consider flipping a journal to open access. Besides personal affinities to the idea of open access, there is an increasing demand on the part of scientists for open access publishing options (Open Access Monitor, 2022), and there are political demands on the part of research funders such as Horizon Europe and Plan S. Studies on flipped journals show that they have higher visitor numbers (Wenaas, 2021), that their acceptance and impact remain the same (Mallett et al., 2021), and that their publication output increases (Momeni et al., 2021).

Before you start the process of flipping a journal, you should first check the status quo. Here, it is matter of determining, for example, who holds the rights to the journal name. To find this out, it is worthwhile taking a look at contractual documents or the journal website. In addition, you should familiarise yourself with the process of flipping and, for example, read first-hand reports of the experiences of editors of flipped or newly created journals. These reports are also a source of information about possible conversion strategies, which will make it easier for you to decide on a strategy of your own. In any case, you should draw up as precise a timetable as possible for the individual steps. Moreover, you should calculate all costs exactly. When doing so, you should also take into account the “hidden” costs for technical resources and the working time spent on organising.

One aspect of the flipping process that should not be underestimated is communication with all stakeholders. These comprise both internal participants, such as members of the editorial board, the publisher’s staff, and reviewers, as well as external stakeholders, such as subscribers, authors and the respective scientific community. After the idea of flipping the journal emerges, internal persuasive efforts are called for. Following Dreher (2021), direct personal communication is a promising way of dispelling reservations. You should also prepare for possible negotiations with the current publisher. The support of universities and other advisory services with open access experience can be enlisted in this regard. Transparency throughout the entire process, and communication of the rationale are key to the acceptance and success of the conversion (Dreher, 2021).

Furthermore, it is advisable to develop a marketing strategy for the first year of the conversion. It can be helpful to conduct a survey of authors, readers and other stakeholders about their opinions regarding the conversion. In this way, you can not only identify and address possible reservations, but possibly also identify weaknesses in your planning. Even after the conversion process is completed, a good communication strategy is a worthwhile way of enhancing the reach and the standing of your publications and gaining more readers and submissions.

Source: Rooryck, J. & Brinken, H. (2022). From now on Open Access - Glossa: a journal of general linguistics. open-access.network, Technische Informationsbibliothek (TIB). doi.org/10.5446/59193

Converting a journal to open access offers an opportunity to question and improve current processes. Based on the requirements analysis conducted at the start, you can examine what new solutions, providers and tools may be suitable. When doing so, you can scrutinise all aspects – from the policy of the journal, through the review and publishing processes, to the layout, the website and the metadata. Preparing and making available as extensive metadata as possible can be worthwhile not only for search-engine optimisation. It also improves the findability and indexability of the articles. The most important context information is:

• Title
• Abstract
• Citation
• Identifiers for researchers (e.g. ORCID iD), research organisations (e.g. ROR) and research funders (e.g. funding number); identifiers for related resources (e.g. the DOI of the corresponding dataset)

If you plan to apply for inclusion in other registers, you should also take account of their guidelines, as well as the metadata schemas for DOI registration, for example those of Crossref and DataCite. 

To successfully operate an open access journal, it is advisable to take some basic measures. A number of international organisations advocate for high standards in open access publishing and offer their support. Membership, for example of the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA), may therefore be of advantage for your open access journal. In addition, to enhance the reach of the journal, it is helpful to apply for indexing in registers, for example the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), even though this is a time-consuming process. Furthermore, the standards and guidelines of Plan S, OASPA and the DOAJ can provide guidance when drawing up a policy for an open access journal.

In addition, you should consider how you are going to deal with back issues of your journal. Are you allowed – and do you want – to make them available in open access (retrodigitised or with an embargo period)? If you decide in favour of doing so, and it is legally possible, you should consider contacting the authors and, if applicable, getting legal assistance. If you are changing publishing venue, you should determine whether and how already published content can migrate with you.

There will always be articles that are still going through the publication process at the time of flipping. Open communication with the affected authors – also regarding licensing terms and conditions – is essential. Moreover, when migrating, it must be ensured that the documents and metadata can be seamlessly transferred to the new system. It is also conceivable to have a hybrid form of publishing for a certain period of time, rather than transitioning to an immediate separation between closed and open access. This short-term hybrid form should be taken into account in the financing plan, and all participants should be transparently informed about it. If you wish to avoid a hybrid form, this must be planned for in good time in the publishing process.

It is important to note that the concrete implementation of the conversion of a subscription-based journal to open access depends very much on the individual case and the prevailing circumstances. It is therefore advisable in any case to seek the support of experts. The scholars and librarians who have joined forces in the Fair Open Access Alliance (FOAA) support inter alia editors who are interested in converting their journals to open access. The advice offered by the open access officers at scholarly libraries should also be availed of.

If you are intimidated by the number of questions that have to be clarified, you should bear in mind that you are not alone in the process of conversion, and that you can avail of external support. Well- planned journal flipping is worthwhile, and it leads to success. This is evidenced by examples such as Quantitative Science Studies, a journal that was successfully flipped in 2019 (Tullney, 2019).

Further examples of successfully flipped journals are listed in the Open Access Directory (2021).