Learn about opportunities for SFU faculty, students, and staff to work with SFU Library Digital Publishing to publish open access journals using Open Journal Systems.

How do I start a journal with my class?

Engage students as creators of information by involving them in contributing, editing, and publishing content.

How can I start a student-run journal?

Any group of undergraduate or graduate students at SFU can start a student run journal. We can help!

How can I publish a new open access journal with the library?

Work with SFU Library Digital Publishing to publish an open access journal using Open Journal Systems.

Creating a new open access journal

The Digital Publishing team at SFU Library can help faculty and students who are interested in creating an open access journal. Open access, and knowledge mobilization, are represented in both the SFU and SFU Library strategic visions. 

Anyone with a current SFU affiliation can publish a journal with SFU Library. This includes students (both undergraduate and graduate), faculty, and student groups/associations. 

Getting started with journal publishing at SFU Library

• Step 1: Review our new journal checklist for considerations and important decisions about your new journal. 
• Step 2: Review and complete the Journal Hosting Memorandum of Agreement
• Step 3: Contact us with some details about your journal, based on the checklist from Step 1, and your signed Memorandum of Agreement from Step 2
• Step 4: The Digital Publishing Librarian will contact you with any questions we have before getting started. Once we agree that we are ready to launch the journal, the Digital Publishing librarian will set up the journal in OJS and email you a link to your new journal. At this point you can begin setting up your new journal and website with support from the Digital Publishing librarian.

Getting started with OJS

Simon Fraser University Library uses Open Journal Systems (OJS), an open source journal management platform developed by the Public Knowledge Project, to host your open access journal. OJS assists with every stage of the refereed publishing process, from submissions through to online publication and indexing.

The Digital Publishing Librarian can meet with you to help you set-up your journal in OJS. 

The following resources may also be useful in becoming familiar with the OJS software:

• OJS Documentation: A visual guide to learning Open Journal Systems
• PKP School: Self-paced online courses on setting up a journal in OJS, the OJS editorial workflow, becoming an editor or reviewer, etc.
• Steps for setting up your journal in OJS

Creating a course journal

Course journals are online, open access academic journals published as part of a for-credit academic class.

See Publishing an open access journal with your class for more information.

Creating a student journal

Student journals are academic journals run primarily by a student body.

They may publish content produced by faculty, students, or the general public, and they may be run in collaboration with faculty, library staff, associations, or university administration.

Working on a student journal is a great way to build writing and editing skills, while becoming familiar with the scholarly publishing process. 

For student authors, having something published is a way to have your voice heard and represented. Additionally, having an article published in a peer reviewed, open access journal is great on your resume or CV -- especially if you plan on continuing your studies or pursue an academic career.  

Who can start a student journal?

Any group of undergraduate or graduate students at SFU can start a student run journal. These journals can be published within a faculty/discipline (e.g. SFU Educational Review), as interdisciplinary (e.g. Intersectional Apocalypse), or by a student association/group (e.g. Confluence).

Check out some sample student journals published through SFU Digital Publishing.

Student journal toolkit

Ready to get started with your student journal?

 PKP has created a Student Journal Toolkit with everything you need to know. 

Flipping an existing journal to open access

Publishing your journal open access will help you reach a wider audience and will facilitate the spread of knowledge around the world. All journals, monographs, and textbooks monographs published by Digital Publishing at SFU Library are made fully open access. 

If you are currently managing a subscription journal, the Digital Publishing team can work with you to flip your journal to open access and host your content with the Library. Contact us to learn more!

Check out these additional resources on flipping a journal to open access:

• Tips for journal editors transitioning to open access and the role of mega-journals in the publishing landscape, an interview with Duncan MacRae (senior publisher for Medicine)
• Flipping, not Flopping: Converting Subscription Journals to Open Access, a Scholarly Kitchen article by Alice Meadows

Bringing a journal to SFU Library

If you are currently affiliated with Simon Fraser University (SFU) and serve as an editor for an academic journal, and you would like to discuss the possibility of hosting your journal with SFU Library, our Digital Publishing team is happy to engage in a conversation about the process.