Guide to Open Access Journals

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Traditionally, college students have spent long nights in campus libraries thumbing through leather bound volumes of academic journals and research reports. The importance of these publications has remained intact over the years, but most of today's tech-savvy students opt to access this information using online databases.

These sites generally fall into two categories. Some databases require a paid subscription in order to access materials. In many cases, students who enroll at brick-and-mortar institutions are granted complimentary access to these sites while enrolled. Other sites, known as “open-access” databases, allow users to delve into journal entries free-of-charge. These sites are ideal for online students who would otherwise be required to foot the subscription bill themselves.

This guide looks at some of the most reputable open-access journal websites, as well as paid subscription databases that are still widely used by traditional college students.