Learn about open access models, impact metrics, and digital publishing tools available through the University Libraries. This page will guide you through your publishing choices, from article-level decisions to launching your own open access journal.
Limitations of Traditional Metrics
While commonly used, impact factors have significant limitations. Originally designed to measure journal influence—not individual article or author quality—they don’t always reflect the broader value or reach of your work.
Considerations:
Metrics vary widely by discipline; comparisons across fields are unreliable.
Impact factors are journal-level indicators, not author-level.
Many respected journals and researchers advocate for a more nuanced approach to assessing impact.
Altmetrics: A Broader View of Research Impact
Altmetrics measure the attention your work receives online—often much earlier and more broadly than citations can.
Examples of altmetrics:
Article downloads and page views
News or blog coverage
Mentions on social media (e.g., Twitter, Reddit, LinkedIn)
Reader comments and reviews
Bookmarking (e.g., Mendeley, Zotero)
Geographic distribution of readership
Altmetrics help capture societal impact, complementing traditional scholarly metrics.
Open Access (OA) publishing makes scholarly work freely available online, increasing visibility and access. Unlike subscription models, OA typically shifts costs from readers to authors, institutions, or funders.
Benefits of Open Access:
Free access for all—no paywalls or subscriptions
Greater visibility and citation potential
Authors often retain copyright
Meets public access mandates from funders (e.g., NIH, NSF)
Challenges and Considerations:
Some journals charge Article Processing Charges (APCs)—fees authors must pay to publish
Predatory journals may exploit the OA model without offering peer review or editorial services
Misconceptions about OA quality persist in some promotion and tenure contexts
| Model | Description |
| Gold OA | Entire journal is open access; funded by APCs paid by authors or institutions. |
| Hybrid OA | Authors pay to make individual articles open in otherwise subscription-based journals. |
| Green OA | Authors self-archive a version of the article in a repository (e.g., institutional or disciplinary). |
Note: Always check a journal's self-archiving policy and copyright policies at SHERPA/RoMEO, and negotiate to ensure your author rights.
Some OA journals charge APCs to support publication services (peer review, editing, archiving, etc.). Not all OA journals charge fees—many reputable no-fee options exist.
APC Support at TXST Libraries:
We participate in APC waiver agreements with select publishers, including:
Cambridge University Press
Elsevier
Wiley
Contact University Libraries for guidance or to request APC assistance.
The University Libraries offer a full suite of digital publishing support services for faculty, staff, and students:
Open journal publishing with Open Journal Systems (OJS).
Digital exhibit development with Omeka S
Open Educational Resources (OER) publishing via Pressbooks
Researcher profile consultations (e.g., ORCID, Google Scholar)
DOI minting through Crossref
ISSN applications
Visibility and impact consultations
Have a project idea? We’d love to hear about it! Contact us to discuss your goals and how we can support your work.