Open Science

Open Access refers to a publishing model where research is made freely available online for the public to view.  It allows for increased transparency and accessibility for those who may not otherwise be able to obtain and read scientific literature by removing the barriers of paywalls and subscriptions.  There are a number of benefits for researchers who publish open access.  For example, open access papers draw more citations from a broader readership.

Image by PLoS, from Wikimedia Commons

Other advantages of publishing Open Access:

• Easily comply with funder mandates related to publishing.

• Increase the number of unique visitors who view your articles.

  • A BMJ study showed that unique visitors were 23% higher for open access articles than for subscription access articles.

• Help drive cross-disciplinary innovation by making research publicly accessible 

• Increase the number of times your research is cited.

  • Several studies have shown that research articles published in Open Access journals garner more citations.

To learn more about Open Access and discover recommended OA resources, please visit UTSA's Open Access research guide for a comprehensive overview: