How to obtain the full text of open access journals?

Accessing the full text of open access (OA) journals is feasible due to their fundamental characteristic of free availability online for reading and downloading. Readers typically require no subscriptions or fees to obtain the content. OA journals operate under licenses permitting immediate, free access upon publication, primarily using Creative Commons (CC) licenses. Key principles include unrestricted online reading, downloading, copying, sharing, and often reuse, subject to specific CC license terms. Access is contingent only on internet connectivity. The scope encompasses all articles published as fully OA ("gold" OA). However, caution is needed regarding "hybrid" journals, where only specific OA-labeled articles are freely accessible, not the entire journal. To obtain full texts, identify OA journals through directories like the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). Access articles directly on the journal's official website or through relevant subject-specific repositories (e.g., PubMed Central for life sciences). Utilize institutional or disciplinary repositories ("green" OA) for author-deposited versions. Search via academic search engines (e.g., Google Scholar, BASE) filtering for OA results. This process provides immediate cost-free access for research, education, and application.