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Open Access Publishing — An Overview of OA Electronic Publishing

Learn about open access publishing, where research is available online for free. Find out how it works, how AI affects OA publishing, how to cite and handle copyright and more.

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Introduction

Our text compare tool is a fantastic, lightweight tool that provides plagiarism checks between two documents. Whether you are a student, blogger or publisher, this tool offers a great solution to detect and compare similarities between any two pieces of text. In this article, I will discuss the different ways to use the tool, the primary features of the tool and who this tool is for. There is an FAQ at the bottom if you run into any issues when trying to use the tool.

What makes Originality.ai’s text comparison tool stand out?

Keyword density helper – This tool comes with a built-in keyword density helper in some ways similar to the likes of SurferSEO or MarketMuse the difference being, ours is free! This feature shows the user the frequency of single or two word keywords in a document, meaning you can easily compare an article you have written against a competitor to see the major differences in keyword densities. This is especially useful for SEO’s who are looking to optimize their blog content for search engines and improve the blog’s visibility.

Ways to compare

File compare – Text comparison between files is a breeze with our tool. Simply select the files you would like to compare, hit “Upload” and our tool will automatically insert the content into the text area, then simply hit “Compare” and let our tool show you where the differences in the text are. By uploading a file, you can still check the keyword density in your content.

URL compare

Comparing text between URLs is effortless with our tool. Simply paste the URL you would like to get the content from (in our example we use a fantastic blog post by Sherice Jacob found here) hit “Submit URL” and our tool will automatically retrieve the contents of the page and paste it into the text area, then simply click “Compare” and let our tool highlight the difference between the URLs. This feature is especially useful for checking keyword density between pages!

Simple text compare

You can also easily compare text by copying and pasting it into each field, as demonstrated below.

Features of Originality.ai’s Text Compare Tool

Ease of use

Our text compare tool is created with the user in mind, it is designed to be accessible to everyone. Our tool allows users to upload files or enter a URL to extract text, this along with the lightweight design ensures a seamless experience. The interface is simple and straightforward, making it easy for users to compare text and detect the diff.

Multiple text file format support

Our tool provides support for a variety of different text files and microsoft word formats including pdf file, .docx, .odt, .doc, and .txt, giving users the ability to compare text from different sources with ease. This makes it a great solution for students, bloggers, and publishers who are looking for file comparison in different formats.

Protects intellectual property

Our text comparison tool helps you protect your intellectual property and helps prevent plagiarism. This tool provides an accurate comparison of texts, making it easy to ensure that your work is original and not copied from other sources. Our tool is a valuable resource for anyone looking to maintain the originality of their content.

User Data Privacy

Our text compare tool is secure and protects user data privacy. No data is ever saved to the tool, the users’ text is only scanned and pasted into the tool’s text area. This makes certain that users can use our tool with confidence, knowing their data is safe and secure.

Compatibility

Our text comparison tool is designed to work seamlessly across all size devices, ensuring maximum compatibility no matter your screen size. Whether you are using a large desktop monitor, a small laptop, a tablet or a smartphone, this tool adjusts to your screen size. This means that users can compare texts and detect the diff anywhere without the need for specialized hardware or software. This level of accessibility makes it an ideal solution for students or bloggers who value the originality of their work and need to compare text online anywhere at any time.

Imagine you’re a researcher who has to write an in-depth essay on the effects of inflation on small businesses in new and growing markets.  

To back up your statements, you need evidence; facts, figures, and statistics. You fire up your browser and set about researching. 

You find the perfect summary in an article that matches your argument. You go to read more and suddenly, you’re hit with a paywall. 

The journal kindly informs you that you need to pay to continue accessing the document. OA, or Open Access Publishing, aims to change all of that.

Short on Time? Here’s What’s in This Article

  • What open access publishing is and how it works.
  • How AI is affecting OA publishing.
  • How OA publishing handles copyright.
  • How to cite open access articles.

What Is Open Access Publishing?

York University Libraries describe Open Access publishing as the practice of making scholarly research available for free, publicly, online. 

Traditional publishing models often involve paywalls or subscription fees which can make research inaccessible without payment. OA essentially transforms this process. 

Most OA works are published under the Creative Commons licensing structure with different designations, like CC BY, which means you can share, adapt, and build upon a work as long as you give credit to the original author.

Open Access also typically publishes online by default, given the global reach of the internet. 

Open Access Publishing Models

To better understand how Open Access Publishing works, it’s worth taking a closer look at the different models available.

They include: 

Gold Open Access

With Gold Open Access, as noted by Springer Nature, the content is freely available on the publisher’s website. Access is funded through Article Processing Charges (APC) that may be covered by the author, their institution, or other funding.

What Are APCs?

Although access to research is free, there are still costs associated with publishing, including the editorial process, peer review, administrative costs, digital hosting, and so on. This is where APCs come into play. 

Leading journals (think Nature or Springer Nature) with a strong reputation may charge higher fees. 

Springer Nature provides information on fees for different journals for 2024 and 2025 publications. Costs for APCs typically range from $1,000-$5,000 per article. Although, some journals may charge higher or lower fees. 

Green Open Access

Green Open Access is when the author of the work pre-prints or post-prints it in either an institutional archive or a website specific to that subject — however these are typically ‘less discoverable’ locations according to Springer Nature. The publisher may also have an embargo period set up.

  • Then, a post-print is the version that has undergone peer review and revisions but hasn’t been finalized in terms of typesetting or formatting. You might also see it called the accepted manuscript

Diamond/Platinum Open Access

Georgia State University describes diamond/platinum open access as the kind of open access that’s typically paid for by an educational institution or even philanthropy. This type of open access publishing doesn’t charge APCs or fees to the author. 

Is AI Impacting Open Access Publishing?

Like many other types of publishing and content, AI has absolutely left its mark on Open Access publishing. 

For example, AI-powered search makes it easier to find OA articles which increases readership. 

Then, some AI tools can help with the peer review and editorial process by checking grammar and spelling, as well as detecting plagiarism. 

Another possible innovation for AI in open access publishing could be helping to automate the process of organizing OA articles in a repository by categorizing or creating quick summaries. 

Copyright Considerations for OA Publishing

OA publishing, by its very nature, generally lets people use and build upon its content and discoveries, so copyright works a bit differently in these cases. Copyright approaches differ across OA publishers or journals, but usually fall into these categories: 

The author retains the copyright

In this case, as noted by McGill University, the author retains the rights and grants to distribute the work, a common type of copyright in OA publishing. 

However, to enable distribution, this typically includes licensing for the publisher to be the first publisher of the work. 

Essentially, the author still maintains control over their research. 

Creative Commons (CC) licenses

Many OA articles use various levels of Creative Commons licenses to express what can and cannot be done with the work. 

  • For instance, CC BY-NC means the research can only be used for non-commercial purposes
  • Then, CC BY-SA means that any research built off of the original needs to carry the same type of license.

Beyond these types of copyrights, different publishers might include their own restrictions in terms of whether or not a publication can be used commercially or if it has to credit the author. 

The journal or publisher holds the copyright

The case where the copyright is held by the journal or publisher is more frequently associated with traditional journals — it is less frequent with open access.

Do You Need to Cite Open Access Articles?

Yes, Open Access articles need to be cited just like any other type of article. 

You always want to give credit and acknowledgement to the original author when referencing their work to avoid plagiarism

Here’s how to cite open access articles according to different formats, like APA, MLA, and in a blog post. 

Keep in mind that citation style guides may change so it’s best practice to check the style guide for the most up-to-date formatting. 

APA style

Author(s). (Year). Title. Journal Name, Volume(issue), Page numbers. Example URL

Example: 

Smith, J., & Doe, A. (2023). Example of How to Cite Open Access in APA. Example Journal, 15(2), 123-135. https://doi.org/example

MLA style

Author(s). “Title of the Article.”Journal Name, vol. XX, no. X, Year, pp. XXX-XXX. Example URL. Access Date.

Example: 

Smith, John, and Alice Doe. "Exploring the Future of Open Access Publishing." Example Journal, vol. 15, no. 2, 2023, pp. 123–135. https://doi.org/example. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

Citing in a Blog

Example: 

According to Smith and Doe’s 2023 study published in the Example Journal, Open Access publishing is rapidly evolving (read the full article here).

Then on the text “read the full article here” or directly on the name of “Example Journal,” include a link that points readers back to the original source.

Learn more about how to cite AI as a source.

Challenges with Open Access Publishing

Open Access Publishing is not without its issues. Here are a few of the most common challenges that open access publishing faces:

Disreputable journals

York University cautions that one of the most concerning issues with open access publishing is predatory publishing. 

While many open access publishers are highly reputable, it is nonetheless important to be aware of journals that exploit the APC model to get paid while offering little to no peer review or editorial oversight.

If you’re interested in publishing in an OA journal, check for the DOAJ Seal of Approval to find reputable organizations worth publishing in. 

Providing clarity on copyrights and licensing

There are also challenges, particularly for authors, in understanding how the different Creative Commons licenses work. 

Understandably, some researchers may be hesitant to release copyrights to the journal or Creative Commons licensing. So it’s important to be fully informed about the process and how it works. 

Technical difficulties

Beyond these challenges, technical difficulties, like detailed digital infrastructure to host, categorize, organize, and archive content is still a cost that needs to be paid. Maintaining these archives over the long term also presents its own set of challenges. 

Final Thoughts

The bottom line is that when it comes to Open Access Publishing, we can all benefit from greater inclusivity and transparency. 

Opening access to research, discoveries, findings, and data, helps not only to make research more equitable but also paves the way for groups and individuals to be more connected to insights and shared knowledge. 

Learn more about copyrights, publishing, and writing contracts in our top guides:

Sherice Jacob

Sherice Jacob is a seasoned copywriter and content professional fluent in English, Spanish, and Catalan, with over 25 years of experience crafting high-converting copy. Passionate about AI, she enjoys exploring the new innovations and possibilities it brings to the world of content creation.

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Originality.ai did a fantastic job on all three prompts, precisely detecting them as AI-written. Additionally, after I checked with actual human-written textual content, it did determine it as 100% human-generated, which is important.

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