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Course & Subject Guides

ENGWRT 0400: Introduction to Creative Writing - Pittsburgh Campus

A guide for students in ENGWRT 0400.

Publishing Terminology

When submitting a work to a journal or magazine, publications will often have information concerning copyright, licensing, and permissions.  The information below will help introduce you to different aspects of publishing and scholarly communication.

Copyright

Copyright is a form of protection grounded in the U.S. Constitution and granted by law for original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Copyright covers both published and unpublished works.

Peer Review

Also known as “refereed,” peer review is the process by which scholars in a relevant field read and evaluate papers submitted to a journal. (Source: Oxford English Dictionary)

Peer review is employed by a profession or discipline in order to maintain standards, improve performance, and provide credibility. In academia, peer review is often used to determine a scholarly work’s suitability for publication.

Open Access

When researching information about journals, you may find that some are described as Open Access. 
 
"Open Access" (OA) describes a family of copyright licensing policies under which copyright owners make their works available publicly, without access being limited to subscribers or purchasers of the material, and typically in online databases.
 

Below are some links to examples and lists of literary journals that are open access:

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons is a nonprofit organization that enables the sharing and use of creativity and knowledge through free legal tools.

The infographic below offers more information about types of Creative Common Licenses and their uses.

credit: fotor.com