How to find the open access policy of a journal?

Locating a journal's open access (OA) policy is readily achievable through established information channels. Authors can typically discover this information on the journal's official website or via dedicated OA policy repositories. Key sources include the journal publisher's own website, specifically sections like "Information for Authors," "Author Guidelines," "Publication Ethics," or explicitly labelled "Open Access." Secondly, dedicated services like Sherpa Romeo provide centralized databases indexing publisher and journal OA policies, summarising permissions concerning article archiving (self-archiving) and copyright retention. When consulting third-party repositories like Sherpa Romeo, always verify details against the publisher's official site, as these databases aggregate policy levels but publisher implementation can vary; also note Sherpa Romeo primarily focuses on archiving policies. Crucial aspects to identify include OA type options offered (Gold, Hybrid, Green), applicable article processing charges (APCs), and self-archiving permissions regarding accepted manuscripts or published versions. To implement, first access the journal's homepage and meticulously review sections relevant to authors and submissions. If unavailable there, consult Sherpa Romeo, searching by journal title, ISSN, or publisher name to locate its aggregated policy summary; critically, any information found must then be cross-referenced with the most current details on the journal's own website. This process enables authors to ensure compliance with publication requirements, understand financial obligations, and leverage dissemination rights effectively, thereby selecting suitable venues aligned with funding mandates and research dissemination goals.