Open Access Publishing: Principles, Models & Benefits

Open access (OA) publishing makes research articles freely available online, without subscription fees or paywalls, typically under a license that permits unrestricted reading, downloading, copying, and (in most cases) reuse with attribution. The movement emerged in the late 1990s and early 2000s as a response to the rising cost of journal subscriptions and the limited reach of paywalled research. It has since become a mainstream model, with many funders, institutions, and governments requiring open access to research they support.

The benefits of open access are substantial. For authors, OA increases the visibility and citation impact of their work — multiple studies have shown that OA articles receive more citations than non-OA articles in the same journal, with citation advantages typically in the range of 25-250% depending on field and methodology. For readers, particularly in low- and middle-income countries or at under-resourced institutions, OA provides access to research that would otherwise be unaffordable. For society, OA accelerates scientific progress and supports evidence-based policy and practice.

Hrisana Journal is a fully open-access journal: all published articles are immediately and permanently free to read, download, and share, under the Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license. This license permits unrestricted reuse, redistribution, and adaptation, provided the original work is properly cited. We believe open access is essential for maximizing the impact of research and for the integrity of the scientific enterprise.

The "Gold" open access model publishes the final version of record directly in an open-access journal. The costs of publication are typically covered by article processing charges (APCs) paid by authors, their institutions, or their funders. Hrisana Journal uses this model, with an affordable APC that includes waivers for eligible researchers. Gold OA provides immediate, full open access with the published version of record being the open version, simplifying attribution and reuse.

The "Green" open access model (also called self-archiving) involves depositing a version of the manuscript in an open repository, often after an embargo period. The published version of record may remain behind a paywall, but the author-deposited version (often the accepted manuscript after peer review but before publisher formatting) is openly available. Green OA is supported by institutional repositories, subject repositories (such as arXiv for physics, PubMed Central for biomedical research), and funder repositories. Many funders now require green OA deposit of research they fund.

The "Diamond" open access model publishes articles open access without charging APCs to authors. The costs of publication are covered by the journal's host institution, a scholarly society, a university, or a funder. Diamond OA removes financial barriers for authors, which is particularly important for researchers from low- and middle-income countries or without grant funding. Hrisana Journal's Free Publication Programme provides Diamond-like access for eligible researchers, supported by the journal's APC revenue from well-funded institutions.

Article processing charges (APCs) cover the costs of publication: editorial work, peer review management, copyediting, typesetting, hosting, archiving, and preservation. APCs vary widely, from a few hundred dollars for small society journals to several thousand dollars for high-profile commercial journals. The appropriate APC depends on the journal's cost structure, the services provided, and the market. Hrisana Journal maintains an affordable APC, reflecting our commitment to accessible publishing.

APC waivers and discounts ensure that researchers without funding can publish in OA journals. Hrisana Journal offers a Free Publication Programme for eligible researchers from developing countries, with waivers covering the full APC. We also consider waiver requests from researchers facing financial hardship on a case-by-case basis. Our goal is to ensure that the decision to publish with us is based on scientific quality, not on the author's ability to pay.

Funder policies increasingly support APC payment. Many research funders allow APC costs to be charged to grants, and some funders have established dedicated OA funds. The cOAlition S initiative, through Plan S, requires that research funded by participating funders be published open access, with APC funding mechanisms in place. Authors should check their funder's policies when planning publication and should consult with their institution's OA office or library for guidance on APC funding.

Choosing where to publish is one of the most important decisions a researcher makes. Beyond the scientific fit (scope, audience, reputation), several considerations are particularly relevant for OA journals. Is the journal indexed in relevant databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, DOAJ)? What is the journal's APC and what does it cover? Does the journal offer waivers or discounts for eligible authors? What license does the journal use (CC BY is the most open; more restrictive licenses limit reuse)? How transparent is the journal about its editorial policies, peer review process, and governance?

Unfortunately, predatory journals — publishers that exploit the OA model by charging APCs without providing legitimate peer review or editorial services — exist and require vigilance. Signs of predatory journals include: aggressive solicitation of manuscripts (often unrelated to your research); promises of rapid publication; lack of transparency about editorial boards and peer review; and listing in dubious indexing services. The Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) maintains a whitelist of legitimate OA journals and is a useful starting point for evaluation. Think. Check. Submit. provides a checklist for evaluating journal quality.

Hrisana Journal is committed to transparent, ethical publishing practices. We are working towards DOAJ listing and indexing in major databases. Our peer review process is double-blind and rigorous, with typical time to first decision of 4-6 weeks. Our editorial board is publicly listed with institutional affiliations. Our APC is published on our Publication Fee page, with waiver information on our Free Publication page. We welcome questions about our policies and practices.

Open access continues to evolve. Transformative agreements — negotiated between institutions and publishers that combine subscription access with OA publication rights — are accelerating the transition. Open data, open peer review, and open research methods are extending the OA concept beyond the article to the full research process. Preprint servers, increasingly mainstream in biology and other fields, enable rapid dissemination of findings before peer review. Registered reports — where peer review occurs before data collection and acceptance is decided before results are known — are addressing publication bias and improving research integrity.

The push towards universal OA continues, with funder mandates (Plan S in Europe, similar policies from US funding agencies), institutional policies, and government action all contributing. The goal of universal OA — making all published research freely available — is achievable but requires sustained effort, funding mechanisms, and cultural change in the research community. Hrisana Journal is part of this movement, providing a venue for researchers to publish their work openly and to reach a global audience.

For researchers considering where to publish, we invite you to consider Hrisana Journal. Our scope spans environmental and ecological biotechnology, including related fields. Our open-access model ensures your work reaches the global community. Our rigorous peer review ensures your work is evaluated fairly and thoroughly. Visit our Submit Manuscript page to begin your submission, or review our Author Guidelines for preparation requirements. If you have questions about our journal or our policies, please contact us.