Q: What is a Transformative Journal (TJ)? Can I submit my paper to that journal?

Transformative journals (TJs) are journals that were previously only subscription-based but now offer an option for publishing open access (OA), with the aim to eventually becoming fully OA. For such journals, the author is given the option to choose “OA” or “subscription” at the time of submission.

You may also come across instances where “transformative” and “hybrid” have been used interchangeably. However, there’s a slight difference between the two--- a TJ seeks to eventually go fully OA, whereas a hybrid journal offers both subscription and OA options for publishing and may not later become fully OA, choosing instead to remain a hybrid. For more information about these differences, you may refer to this infographic.

On a separate note, we are not entirely sure what you mean by “What do I have to do if the author has an idea of submitting to such journals?” We are guessing what you’re trying to ask is how to determine if a TJ is the right journal for your publication. If that is what you intend, then I suggest that you first decide if an OA publication is what you are aiming for. The following resources may help you take an informed decision.

• A guide to open access publishing
• Choosing a legitimate open access journal
• "Open" for questions: A curated list of OA queries we've answered

We hope this answers your query. Thank you!