How do journals handle the copyright transfer of accepted articles?

Upon article acceptance, journals typically require authors to formally transfer certain copyrights to the publisher via a signed agreement. This transfer standardly grants the journal exclusive publication rights. Key principles involve establishing the scope of rights being transferred (often exclusive rights for reproduction, distribution, and public display), defining the author's retained rights (like future reuse in teaching or scholarly works), and specifying conditions related to open access or deposit. Agreements vary; authors must carefully review terms concerning archiving (e.g., in institutional repositories), potential embargo periods, permitted author sharing practices (e.g., sharing preprints or accepted manuscripts), and licensing models like Creative Commons. This process safeguards the publisher's investment while enabling widespread dissemination. This mechanism ensures the journal possesses the necessary rights to legally publish and disseminate the work effectively across platforms. It protects both publisher interests and, crucially, defines the author's ongoing rights to utilize their own scholarship. Authors should scrutinize agreements for compatibility with funder mandates (e.g., Plan S, NIH) and institutional policies regarding open access and self-archiving (commonly addressed via addenda like SPARC or DURESSO). Proper handling streamlines publication, facilitates compliance, and maximizes the article's reach and impact.