Open Access Policy
Knowledge should be accessible to all. Our Affordable Gold Open Access model keeps publication fees minimal whilst ensuring research reaches readers worldwide for free.
What is Open Access?
Open Access means that research articles are freely available online, without subscription fees or paywalls. Anyone with internet access can read, download, share, and build upon published research.
This promotes the rapid dissemination of knowledge, increases research impact, and ensures that publicly funded research is accessible to the public.
Affordable vs Traditional Open Access
Not all Open Access is the same. Here's how our affordable model compares to traditional high-fee publishing.
Affordable Gold OA
Minimal fees for authors, free for readers
Author Fee
RM15–RM60
Reader Fee
Free
Funding: Low APCs cover operational costs
- Academic articles: RM60 (~USD 13)
- Creative works: RM15 (~USD 3)
- Free access for all readers
- Quality over funding capacity
Traditional Gold OA
Author pays high article processing charge
Author Fee
$1,000-$5,000+
Reader Fee
Free
Funding: Author/Institution pays
- Free to read
- High APCs can be barrier
- May favour funded researchers
- Common in commercial publishing
Benefits of Open Access
For Authors
Increased Visibility
Open access articles receive more downloads, citations, and media attention.
Faster Impact
Research is immediately available without subscription barriers.
Retain Copyright
Authors retain copyright and can share their work freely.
Funder Compliance
Meet open access requirements from funding agencies worldwide.
For Readers
Free Access
No subscriptions or paywalls. Anyone can read published research.
Download & Share
Download PDFs and share articles with colleagues freely.
Text & Data Mining
CC licenses permit computational analysis and data mining.
Educational Use
Use articles in teaching and educational materials.
Licensing
All articles are published under Creative Commons licenses
Default License
CC BY 4.0
This license allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, so long as attribution is given to the creator.
Alternative (upon request)
CC BY-NC 4.0
This license allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, with attribution.
Author Copyright: Authors retain copyright of their work and grant Hanford Journal the right to publish. Authors can share, reuse, and build upon their work as they wish.
Archiving & Preservation
We ensure long-term availability of all published research
CLOCKSS
Long-term preservation archive (membership in progress).
Internet Archive
Digital library for broad accessibility (integration planned).
Zenodo
Research data repository operated by CERN.
All articles receive a permanent DOI (Digital Object Identifier) ensuring perpetual citability and access.
Open Access FAQ
Common questions about our open access policy
We keep fees minimal (RM60 for academic articles, RM15 for creative works) by operating efficiently and prioritising accessibility over profit. These fees cover essential operational costs whilst remaining affordable for researchers worldwide.
We use CC BY 4.0 (Creative Commons Attribution) as our default license. Authors may request CC BY-NC if they have specific concerns about commercial use.
Yes! Under CC BY 4.0, you can share your article anywhere, post it on your website, share on social media, include it in your thesis, and more. Just include the proper citation.
All published articles are archived with multiple preservation services including CLOCKSS, Internet Archive, and Zenodo. Articles receive permanent DOIs ensuring perpetual access.
Absolutely not. Our peer review standards are identical regardless of the access model. All submissions undergo rigorous single-blind peer review.
Yes! We welcome institutional partnerships. Libraries and institutions can support affordable open access through sponsorship, infrastructure support, or joining our advisory board.
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Submit your research to an affordable Gold Open Access journal. Minimal fees, no barriers, just quality scholarship.
Read Our Research
Browse our complete archive of open access articles. Download, share, and build upon published research.