An open access journal for the study of European law students may seem like an oxymoron at first, given that such a journal is devoted to law and legal issues. However, it is actually a perfect fit for law students considering that the field of law encompasses so many fields. Besides, legal issues are what the majority of law students are interested in pursuing; therefore, an open access journal that deals exclusively with the law is a surefire hit.
One of the concerns of law students is being able to gain access to legal materials on a timely basis. Access to legal journals is not only important to legal professionals but is also essential to law students as well. There are times, when law students may not have the time or resources to review all the legal journals available. For instance, when law students opt to pursue International Business Law as their major or when they are working towards specialization in law, they often need to access these journals on a regular basis. Hence, access to a Law Journal that provides easy access to legal materials is imperative for law students.
Another advantage of open access journals is that one can easily contribute to the world of law by making their own contribution to these journals. This is possible as the contributions made are made openly available to everyone. Hence, law students can provide their inputs and views on legal issues and even suggestions on how to improve the system. If there is any suggestion made in the paper, then the student can submit it and if approved, the author will be allowed to publish it along with an open access statement.
Open access policies and procedures are put in place to ensure the maximum participation of participants. For instance, a Law Journal could have an open access policy where authors are required to register before joining the editorial board. This registration serves as proof that they are dedicated law students and will be able to contribute honestly to the magazine. In addition, members are required to follow the publication guidelines published in the journal. These guidelines usually include having original research papers and original contributions in a submitted article. In case, a member does not follow the guidelines, then he/she will be sanctioned by the editor and will not be given a chance to continue editing the paper.
Many a times, there are editors who do not make the cut and hence the journal has a cut-off date. The editor has the final say about any article, unless he/she agrees to lift the piece. The best way to know if you have been invited to join the editorial board is to check out the journal. If you find that there are no indications of an open access policy, then you may not want to join.
It is best to join an open access journal as it helps law students understand the importance of legal research. Also, there are more law journals now accepting articles on subjects they cover. This makes it very easy for researchers to work on different topics, but in the same journal. This is very important for new law students.
However, just like any other policies, there is no set fee for joining the editorial board of an open access journal. The amount will depend on the editor. He/She will decide based on reputation, experience and the level of participation from the peer group. There is no fee for registration or membership. But, if you are serious about submitting fresh and quality articles, then you can consider a subscription.
The open access policy is part of the requirement to be published in an open access journal. If a journal does not have an open access policy, then it is not worth publishing in it. The chances of being accepted into the open access journal are very slim. The other factor that makes a journal open access is if it has a large number of authors who have published in similar journals. If this is the case, then the chance of your article being published is very high.