Open access mandate
nounPronunciation: /ˈoʊpən ˈækses ˈmændeɪt/
An institutional or funder requirement that research outputs must be made freely available to the public without subscription barriers or restrictive licensing. Such mandates typically apply to research funded by government agencies or institutions and often specify deposit requirements in designated repositories.
Plain English
A rule requiring that publicly funded research must be free for anyone to read and use without paying.
Etymology & History
Usage
"The National Institutes of Health's open access mandate requires researchers to deposit publications in PubMed Central within 12 months of publication."
Style guide notes: Always capitalize acronyms like NIH and use 'mandate' consistently rather than alternating with 'requirement.'
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Related Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
Who typically enforces open access mandates?
Government funding agencies, universities, and research institutions enforce open access mandates for research they fund or conduct.
What happens when researchers don't comply with open access mandates?
Non-compliance may result in loss of future funding, institutional penalties, or publication delays depending on the mandate's enforcement mechanisms.
Why Test Candidates on This?
Relevant for testing knowledge of contemporary scholarly publishing landscapes and librarian advocacy roles.
Required skill level: Mid