Whether it’s your first or second publication, the University Library can help you publish in Open Access (OA).

Here’s how to proceed:

 

1. Choose a publication route 

First, decide how you would like to publish: 

• First publication in an Open Access journal (Diamond / Gold) or a hybrid subscription journal
• Second publication following publication in a traditional subscription journal

Learn more about the differences at open-access.network.

 

 2. Find a suitable publication venue

 Take advantage of these resources:

• Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ): A directory of quality-assured OA journals

• FU publishing agreements: Potential coverage or reduction of publication costs

• Refubium: The FU’s repository for your primary and secondary publications

 

3. Clarify funding 

Depending on the model, various options are available to you: 

• Publication fund (Article Processing Charges (APC) for first publications in pure OA journals)
• University Library publishing agreements (e.g., Brill, De Gruyter, Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley)

• Research-led Open Access, i.e., publication free of charge for authors with full service quality, e.g., via the university press Berlin Universities Publishing (BerlinUP)

• Refubium – free secondary publication
• Acquisition of funding for Open Access publication costs (e.g., DFG, foundations)

 

Find out more about your funding options.

 

4. Clarify rights and specify a license 

•   The recommended standard license for initial publications is CC BY 4.0.

•   Review the publishing contract and retain your rights, i.e. assign solely non-exclusive rights to the publisher

•   Exercise the right to secondary publication

 

Read more about rights & licenses.

 

5. Submit for publication

•  Open Access journal: Submit manuscript, specify license

•  Hybrid model: Seek advice (consider alternatives—e.g., achieve OA through a free secondary publication instead of selecting the paid Open Access option in the publisher’s system)

• Second publication: Upload to Refubium

 

6. Increase visibility

•  Use a DOI or URN

•  Link to ORCID, project pages, and research data repositories