How to obtain open access academic articles?

Open access academic articles can be readily obtained as they are published freely online without subscription or payment barriers, primarily via dedicated repositories and specific journal platforms. This accessibility is fundamental to the open access publishing model. Obtaining these articles typically involves utilizing several key channels. Subject-specific repositories like arXiv (physics, math), PubMed Central (life sciences), or SSRN (social sciences) host vast collections. Institutional repositories, maintained by universities and research organizations, often contain works by their affiliates. General-purpose search engines, particularly Google Scholar, index OA articles across the web; applying its "free full text" filter is crucial. Many traditional journal publishers now offer fully OA journals or hybrid options where individual articles are open. Authors increasingly self-archive accepted manuscripts in repositories ("green OA"). Key considerations include verifying the article's specific license terms (e.g., Creative Commons) and the reliability of the source platform. To implement this search process, begin with specialized disciplinary repositories or utilize Google Scholar with the "free full text" filter activated. Proceed to search on publisher or recognized OA journal websites directly. Validate the legitimacy of the source and the article's reuse permissions via its license. This practice efficiently provides researchers with necessary literature, accelerates scientific discovery, enhances reproducibility, and democratizes access to knowledge globally.