Open Access Policy
Open Access Policy
Thoughts Review (TR) is committed to the principles of open access and the free, unrestricted dissemination of scholarly knowledge. The journal believes that making research freely available to the global academic community promotes collaboration, innovation, and the advancement of knowledge across disciplines.
This policy outlines the journal's commitment to open access, the rights of authors and readers, and the licensing terms under which content is published. It aligns with the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI), the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing (COPE, DOAJ, OASPA, WAME), and the expectations of major indexing databases, including DOAJ, Scopus, and the Web of Science.
1. Open Access Statement
Thoughts Review is a fully open-access journal. All content published in the journal is made freely and immediately available to readers worldwide upon publication, without subscription fees, paywalls, or embargo periods.
The journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge and facilitates academic collaboration and progress.
2. Licensing Terms
All articles published in Thoughts Review are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) . This is confirmed by the licensing information displayed on published articles, which state that works are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Under the terms of this license, users are free to:
i. Share: Copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format.
ii. Adapt: Remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, including commercially.
These freedoms are granted provided that users comply with the following conditions:
o Attribution: Users must give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. Users may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses them or their use.
o No Additional Restrictions: Users may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
The full text of the CC BY 4.0 license is available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
This license permits the widest possible use and reuse of published content, including commercial use, provided proper attribution is given. The journal believes that this approach maximizes the impact and visibility of published research.
3. Rights of Authors
Authors who publish in Thoughts Review retain the following rights:
i. Copyright: Authors retain copyright of their work. The journal does not require authors to transfer copyright ownership. This is reflected in the copyright notices displayed on published articles, which identify the author(s) as the copyright holder. Authors grant the journal a non-exclusive license to publish the article and identify itself as the original publisher.
ii. Reuse: Authors are free to reuse their own published work, in whole or in part, in future publications, presentations, teaching materials, or any other purpose, provided that the original publication in Thoughts Review is properly cited.
iii. Self-Archiving: Authors may deposit the published version of their article (Version of Record) in institutional repositories, subject-based repositories, personal websites, or any other platform immediately upon publication, without embargo.
iv. Distribution: Authors may share and distribute their published articles freely, including on social media and academic networks, provided the original source is acknowledged.
v. Attribution: Authors will always be credited as the original authors of their work. The journal will ensure that author names and affiliations are accurately represented in all published versions.
Authors are not required to sign any agreement that would restrict their rights to use their own work for scholarly, educational, or professional purposes.
4. Rights of Readers and Users
All readers and users of content published in Thoughts Review have the following rights:
i. Free Access: Users may read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, link to, and use the full texts of articles for any lawful purpose without requiring permission from the publisher or author, subject to the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.
ii. Commercial Use: Users may use published content for commercial purposes, provided proper attribution is given to the original authors and the source.
iii. Derivative Works: Users may create derivative works based on published content, including translations, adaptations, and educational materials, provided proper attribution is given.
iv. No Embargo: There is no embargo period on any published content. All articles are immediately available upon publication.
The journal does not charge readers or their institutions for access to published content.
5. Article Processing Charges (APCs) and Submission Fees
Thoughts Review does not charge readers for access to its content. To cover the costs associated with publishing (including editorial services, peer review coordination, typesetting, hosting, and archiving), the journal charges the following fees:
i. Submission Fee: 2,000 PKR.
ii. Article Processing Charges (APCs): 15,000 PKR .
Total Fee: 17,000 PKR
These charges are disclosed to authors before submission, and fee payment does not influence editorial decisions. The journal operates a waiver policy for charges; details of eligibility and how to apply for a waiver are available on the journal's website.
Where applicable, the journal may offer fee waivers or discounts for authors from low-income or lower-middle-income countries, early-career researchers, or authors facing financial hardship. Information about waivers is clearly stated on the journal's website.
Note: The above fee information is based on publicly available journal metadata (EuroPub, 2026). Authors should confirm the current fee structure on the journal's official website before submission.
6. Copyright and Licensing Information Display
The journal ensures that copyright and licensing information is clearly displayed:
§ On the journal's website.
§ On the full text of every published article (both HTML and PDF versions).
§ In article metadata.
§ In all dissemination and promotional materials.
The following statement appears on all published articles:
> "© [Year] [Author(s)]. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited."
The CC BY 4.0 license logo and link are also included in all published articles.
7. Self-Archiving and Repository Deposit
Thoughts Review supports and encourages authors to deposit their published articles in institutional repositories, subject-based repositories (such as PubMed Central, SSRN, or arXiv, where applicable), and personal or institutional websites.
Policy for Self-Archiving:
i. Version of Record (Published PDF): Authors may deposit the final published version of their article immediately upon publication, without embargo.
ii. Preprint: Authors may post preprints of their manuscripts on preprint servers or personal websites prior to submission. Authors should disclose the preprint's DOI or URL at the time of submission.
iii. Accepted Manuscript: Authors may share the accepted version of their manuscript at any time, including upon acceptance or after publication.
iv. Attribution: In all cases, authors must acknowledge Thoughts Review as the original source of publication and provide a link to the published article.
The journal does not impose embargo periods on self-archiving. Authors are not required to seek permission to deposit their work in repositories.
8. Digital Preservation and Archiving
Thoughts Review is committed to the long-term preservation and accessibility of its published content. The journal maintains a digital preservation plan to ensure that content remains available in the event that the journal or publisher ceases operation.
The journal uses recognized archiving services to ensure permanent access to published articles. As a journal published on the Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform, Thoughts Review participates in the PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN) , which provides decentralized, distributed archiving for OJS content. The journal may also utilize LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) and CLOCKSS (Controlled LOCKSS) to further safeguard its scholarly record. Content is archived in multiple formats and locations to minimize the risk of loss.
9. Licensing of Website Content
The content of the Thoughts Review website (including its design, layout, and non-article content) is protected by copyright. The CC BY 4.0 license applies specifically to published articles and their associated metadata. Website content may not be reproduced without permission, except as permitted by applicable law.
10. Compliance with Open Access Standards
Thoughts Review is committed to complying with international open access standards and best practices, including:
i. Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI): The journal supports the principles of the BOAI, which defines open access as the free, immediate, online availability of research articles, coupled with the rights to use these articles fully in the digital environment.
ii. DOAJ Criteria: The journal meets the DOAJ's criteria for open access journals, including the use of a CC BY license, immediate open access, and transparent licensing terms.
iii. Plan S Compliance: The journal's CC BY 4.0 license is compliant with the requirements of Plan S and other major funder open access mandates.
iv. COPE and OASPA Principles: The journal adheres to the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing developed by COPE, DOAJ, OASPA, and WAME.
v. HEC Recognition: The journal is recognized by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan, in the Y Category under Arts & Humanities (Miscellaneous) for the period 1 April 2026 to 31 December 2027.
11. Disclaimer
The CC BY 4.0 license applies to the intellectual content of published articles. The journal and its publisher make no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any purpose of published content. Authors are solely responsible for the content of their articles and for any consequences arising from their publication.
The journal is not responsible for any unauthorized use of published content by third parties. However, the journal will take reasonable steps to address any reported misuse of its content in accordance with its policies and applicable law.
12. International Standards and Best Practices
This policy is developed in accordance with internationally recognized open access principles and informed by the recommendations of:
i. Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI)
ii. Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)
iii. Creative Commons
iv. Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)
v. Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA)
vi. World Association of Medical Editors (WAME)
vii. Major indexing databases, including Scopus and Web of Science
Thoughts Review follows the open access principles and best practices recommended by these organizations to ensure responsible publishing and the protection of the scholarly record.
13. Policy Review
Thoughts Review periodically reviews and updates this Open Access Policy to ensure continued alignment with evolving standards of open access, licensing, and ethical publishing. The editorial team is responsible for implementing this policy consistently and for reviewing it when significant developments arise.
Any revisions to this policy will be published on the journal website.
Contact
Questions or concerns regarding this Open Access Policy should be directed to the Thoughts Review editorial office using the official contact details published on the journal website.
Website: https://www.thoughtsreview.com/index.php/TR
ISSN (Print): 3106-9509
ISSN (Electronic): 3106-9517
License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
