INT D 720: Advanced Ethics and Academic Citizenship
Copyright Module Case Study
The following is a case study that will help you further explore concepts that are presented in the copyright module videos Share Your Research Effectively: Copyright and Scholarly Communication and Don't Get Stuck on Copyright: Your Author Rights and Responsibilities Explained, as well as the connected glossary.
- Alex just completed a graduate program at the University of Alberta and wants to publish a portion of their thesis as an article in a well-regarded scholarly journal. They are trying to select the most appropriate journal for this submission. They are curious about publishing open access (OA) but are unsure if it’s for them since they don’t have money to spend on paying for the article to be open access.
Use the Identifying Appropriate Journals for Publication Library Guide to list some resources and considerations for Alex as they embark on their publication journey.
- Alex identified relevant journals for publication using these tools.
- They also used Open Policy Finder for more information on open access publication policies and compliance. They also looked up a list of journals in their discipline that publish OA in the Directory of Open Access Journals.
- Alex also consulted the Major Academic Publishers* and Standard Policies Related to Academic Theses to ensure that they can submit a portion of their thesis for publication.
- Alex also used the U of A Library APC-Free or APC-Discounted Publishing search to find a journal that the University of Alberta Library has negotiated with the publisher so that U of A corresponding authors receive article processing charge (APC)-free publishing, or APC discounts, as part of the Library’s ongoing agreements with these publishers.
- Alex has decided on a journal they want to publish their article OA and has received a publishing agreement. As an author, Alex is unsure of their rights. Alex also wants to deposit a pre-print somewhere, but has to determine where.
Use The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) Information for Authors page to enumerate some of Alex’s rights as an author. Also use The Library’s guide to Open Access to figure out where Alex could deposit a pre-print.
- Alex reads the CARL’s Guide to Author Rights and the summary of its key points.
- Alex also contacts the Copyright Office for help in figuring out their rights in this specific publishing agreement.
- Alex decides to upload a preprint to the U of A’s ERA (Education and Research Archive).
- Having published OA, Alex is interested in the open access movement and wants to explore the possibility of creating other OA material at the University of Alberta.
Use the Publishing at the Library page to enumerate a couple other ways Alex could produce OA work at the University of Alberta.
- Alex discovers the no-fee publishing program for Canadian open access journals at the University of Alberta Library and considers starting a journal with colleagues or getting involved with an existing journal, as an editor or peer reviewer.
- Alex discovers the Library’s support in adapting or creating Open Educational Resources (OER) and considers creating a textbook with colleagues.