PHD Discussions Logo

Ask, Learn and Accelerate in your PhD Research

Question Icon Post Your Answer

Question Icon

2 years ago in Publishing and Access By Rachna M

What is "public access" vs. "open access," and how do funder mandates like the NIH Public Access Policy work?

My NIH grant says I must comply with the "Public Access Policy." Is this the same as publishing in an open access journal? What are the specific steps I need to take to ensure compliance?

All Answers (1 Answers In All)

By Cyrine bouabid Answered 6 months ago

Public Access is a specific form of Open Access mandated by government funders (like NIH, NSF, UKRI). The NIH Public Access Policy doesn't require you to publish in an OA journal. Instead, it requires that the final peer-reviewed manuscript of any paper arising from NIH funds be deposited in PubMed Central (PMC). The manuscript must be made publicly accessible on PMC within 12 months of official publication. You can comply by: 1) Publishing in a journal that automatically deposits in PMC, 2) Using the NIH Manuscript Submission (NIHMS) system to deposit yourself, or 3) Paying the publisher to do it. Compliance is mandatory for future grant funding and must be addressed at the point of submission. Always check the journal's NIH compliance method before submitting.

Your Answer