Scientific publishers have terms regarding how a published article can be used and shared. These restrictions often apply to the article’s author as well, especially if the author transfers their copyright to the publisher in the publishing agreement.
Most open access publications use an open license (most commonly ), which specifies how the article can be reused. Especially for articles published behind paywalls, publishers often have restrictions. How an article can be shared in the future depends on the publisher, journal, and the type of publishing agreement the article's author makes with the publisher.
When entering into a publishing agreement with a publisher, check at least the following:
- Ensure that you have the right to publish all the material you have included in your publication. If you plan to include, for example, images, ensure you have the necessary permissions from the copyright holders.
- Ensure that you retain the right to self-archive your article in the university’s repository. The version to be archived may vary depending on the publisher. You can check publishers’ self-archiving policies on the service and the publishers' websites. If needed, negotiate with the publisher.
- Note that publishers’ policies vary regarding sharing articles on academic community platforms such as Academia.edu and ResearchGate. Check the publisher’s policies before sharing your articles on these platforms.
- Information on article sharing policies can be found on publishers’ websites or on the website. You can also contact the Open Science Centre (openpublishing@jyu.fi) for assistance.
- Ensure that you retain the right to scholarly communication with colleagues, i.e., the permission to share the article with your colleagues, as well as the right to use your article as teaching material and in other scientific activities.
- Many research funders have specific requirements for open access to publications and related embargoes (publication delay periods). Note that the funder's policy on the acceptable length of an embargo may conflict with the publisher's required embargo. In such cases, you can negotiate with the publisher on the article's embargo period to meet the funder’s requirements.
The Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ has a template agreement for obtaining self-archiving rights from publishers who do not specify self-archiving policies in their publishing agreements or general terms and conditions. The template can be downloaded from the University’s .
If, despite negotiations, the publisher refuses to grant the author the right to self-archive, consider this when choosing the next publication channel. There are many high-quality journals worldwide that allow self-archiving under reasonable conditions.