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Federal Agencies Public Access Policies

This guide is intended for use by the researchers at Rutgers University. It covers an overview and requirements of the policy, addressing copyright issues, submission methods, citing PMCID, and how to manage compliance.

How to identify submission methods?

Submission Methods

Authors may use a method most appropriate for them and consistent with their publishing agreement to submit their papers to PMC. Which method to use depends on the policies of the journal and your publishing agreement with the journal.

  • Method A (http://publicaccess.nih.gov/submit_process_journals.htm) - Journal deposits final published version of NIH-funded research papers to PMC without author involvement.
  • Method B (http://publicaccess.nih.gov/select_deposit_publishers.htm) - Publisher deposits the final published version of NIH funded research paper upon author’s request, generally for a fee (i.e. author paying the OA fee via publisher’s OA program.)
  • Method C (https://publicaccess.nih.gov/Methods-C-D-BP) - The author or a designee (e.g. an administrative assistant) submits the final peer-reviewed manuscript to NIHMS. Method C requires more involvement from the author than in Method D. Please keep in mind:
    • Use the final peer-reviewed version making sure all edits made during the review process are included.
    • Do not use the PDF of the final published journal article unless the publisher has granted permission in the publishing agreement.
    • Submit the final version of your manuscript to PubMed Central using the NIH Manuscript System (NIHMS).  Options include:
      • Submit yourself using NIHMS
      • Assign the task to a third party in your lab or department
      • Use your campus library's service
    • Ensure that all graphics and supplemental materials are submitted.
    • When submitting, list all grant numbers that support the research being described in the article.
  • Method D (https://publicaccess.nih.gov/Methods-C-D-BP) - Similar to Method C, but the submission of the peer-reviewed manuscript is done by the publisher. However, the author must log in to NIHMS to approve the original file and then log in again to approve the PMC-formatted version for public display before a PMCID is assigned. Remember it is the authors and awardees who are responsible for ensuring that the manuscript is deposited into the NIHMS upon acceptance for publication.
If not found on the sites above, then check:
  • SHERPA/RoMEO Journals Database to check publisher copyright policies & self-archiving: http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/ (Note: This version of Sherpa Romeo will be decommissioned on Friday 31 July 2020. The new version is available for public testing now at https://v2.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo.)
  • Or the journal’s website.