The Global Social Sciences Review (GSSR) operates under a comprehensive open access policy to promote the wide dissemination of research in the social sciences. This policy aligns with the journal's commitment to ensuring the free flow of knowledge without barriers, allowing readers worldwide to access, read, and benefit from its scholarly content. Below is a more detailed breakdown of GSSR's open access policy:
GSSR offers free and immediate access to all its published content. Upon publication, articles are made freely available to everyone without any subscription, registration, or payment required. This ensures that the latest research in the social sciences can reach a global audience, including students, academics, researchers, and the general public.
All content published in the Global Social Sciences Review (GSSR) is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This license allows users to share, Copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format. However, the following restrictions apply:
- NonCommercial: The material may not be used for commercial purposes.
- NoDerivatives: If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the modified content.
- Attribution: Users must give appropriate credit to the original authors, provide a link to the license, and indicate if any changes were made. However, the material cannot be altered or used commercially.
This license ensures that the work can be freely accessed and shared for educational and non-commercial purposes while protecting the integrity of the original research.
Unlike traditional publishing models where authors may have to transfer copyright to the publisher, GSSR allows authors to retain the copyright to their work. This empowers authors with full ownership and control over their intellectual property while still granting the journal the right to distribute the content.
GSSR does not impose any embargo on its published content. All articles are made available immediately after publication. There is no delay in accessing research, ensuring that findings can contribute to ongoing discussions and developments in the field without unnecessary restrictions.
Publishing in an open-access journal like GSSR offers several benefits for authors, including:
- Increased Visibility and Citation: Open-access articles are often cited more frequently than articles behind paywalls, due to their wide accessibility.
- Global Reach: GSSR’s open access policy ensures that articles are accessible to a worldwide audience, including scholars from developing countries who might not have access to subscription-based journals.
- No Subscription Fees for Readers: Readers can access the journal’s content freely, which increases readership and engagement with the published research.
To maintain the journal's open-access model, GSSR may charge authors an Article Processing Charge (APC). This fee covers the costs associated with the editorial process, peer review, typesetting, and online hosting. Authors are encouraged to review the APC policy carefully before submission. In certain cases, waivers or discounts might be available for authors from low-income countries or in special circumstances.
Many funding agencies and institutions require that the research they support is made available under open access. GSSR’s policy is fully compliant with the requirements of major funding bodies, ensuring that authors can fulfill their grant obligations while publishing in a reputable journal.
GSSR ensures the long-term digital preservation of its content through archiving agreements. This guarantees that articles remain accessible to future generations of researchers even if the journal ceases publication.