Accepted Manuscript, or Author Accepted Manuscript (AAM) - The version of a journal article that has been peer reviewed and accepted for publication but has not yet been typeset or formatted by the publisher. 

Article Processing Charge (APC) - A fee charged by some publishers to make an article Open Access on their website. Leeds Beckett authors publishing in hybrid journals do not usually need to pay an APC to meet Open Access requirements, but please check the publisher deal or email us to check a journal. 

Creative Commons (CC) Licence - A licence that sets out how others can reuse your work, such as whether it can be shared, adapted, or used commercially.   

Decoupling – REF 2029 policy change that removes the requirement to link specific research outputs to individual researchers, with a key exception for long-form works (e.g., monographs) 

Diamond Open Access - a publishing model where research is openly accessible, with no fees charged to authors (no APCs) or readers. 

Discovery Profiles - Leeds Beckett’s public staff profiles that showcase publications, activities, and expertise, drawing information from Symplectic and other University systems. Definition and guidance.  

Diverse Output Types (DOTs) - Research outputs extending beyond the traditional text-based format (e.g. journal articles and book chapters). DOTs may take the form of exhibitions, software, compositions, performances, designs, and other creative works. 

Eprints (Leeds Beckett Repository) - Leeds Beckett’s institutional repository used to store and make research outputs openly available, supporting Open Access, funder and government compliance, and long-term preservation. Further information on Eprints.  

Embargo - A delay set by some publishers before an accepted manuscript can be made openly available in a repository. 

Figshare (Leeds Beckett Thesis and Research Data Repository) - Leeds Beckett’s repository for sharing theses, research data, and other non-traditional research outputs openly, with persistent identifiers and licensing options. Further information on Figshare

Fully Open Access (Fully OA) Journal - A journal in which all articles are made openly available immediately on publication, with no subscription access for readers. 

Gold Open Access - An Open Access route where the final published version of an article is made openly available on the publisher’s website, sometimes involving an APC. 

Green Open Access - An Open Access route where the accepted manuscript is deposited in the Leeds Beckett Repository and made openly available, usually without any cost to the author. 

Hybrid Journal - A subscription journal that publishes both gold open access articles (if an APC is paid), and articles which are usually only available to subscribers. For Leeds Beckett authors, articles in hybrid journals can usually be made Open Access via Rights Retention, without paying an APC. 

Open Access (OA) - Research outputs that are free to read online, without subscription or paywall barriers.   

Open Research - An approach to research that promotes transparency, accessibility, and reuse across the research lifecycle, including publications, data, methods, and outputs. 

Preprint - A version of a research paper shared publicly before peer review, often to enable early feedback and visibility.  

REF - The Research Excellence Framework. A system to assess the excellence of research in UK higher education institutions. 

Repository - The Leeds Beckett institutional repositories, where research outputs are stored and made openly available to support visibility, compliance, and long-term access. Repository policies 

Research Lifecycle - The stages of a research project from planning and data collection through analysis, publication, and long-term preservation and sharing. 

Rights Retention - Leeds Beckett’s Rights Retention policy allows authors to retain the right to make their accepted manuscript openly available in the repository, even when publishing in subscription or Hybrid journals. 

Subscription Journal - A journal where access to articles is restricted to subscribers or institutions that pay for access. Articles published in subscription journals can still be made Open Access via the Leeds Beckett repository using Green Open Access and Rights Retention. 

Substantive Link - For REF 2029, this means that the higher education institution enabled the research behind an output first made publicly available during the eligibility period. This must be evidenced through an eligible employment relationship with an author who made a significant research contribution. 

Symplectic Elements - Leeds Beckett’s research information system, used by authors to record publications and upload accepted manuscripts, which then feed into the repository and reporting systems. Definition and guidance 

Website Profiles - Leeds Beckett’s public staff profiles, linked to the Leeds Beckett website. It showcases publications, activities, and expertise, drawing information from Symplectic and other University systems. Definition and guidance