As a budding academic, getting your research published in a reputable journal can be a daunting task. The traditional publishing process can take years, and top-tier journals usually reject over 80% of submissions. However, with the advent of free publishing platforms, the academic landscape is slowly changing. In this article, we'll explore the top three free publishing platforms that can help you unleash your academic knowledge and get your research seen by a wider audience.

1. Zenodo

Zenodo is an open-access repository that allows researchers to share their work easily. It's run by CERN, and it's free to use. With Zenodo, you can upload your research papers, data sets, posters, and presentations, and they'll be assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI). This makes it easy for others to cite your work, and it ensures that your research is preserved and accessible for the long-term.

One of the great things about Zenodo is that it Integrates with other publishing platforms, like GitHub and figshare. This means that you can easily upload your code and data along with your paper. Additionally, Zenodo is indexed by Google Scholar, meaning that your work will be discoverable to a wider audience.

2. arXiv

arXiv is a site where you can submit your research papers in physics, mathematics, computer science, biology, and other fields. It's entirely free to use and a popular platform for sharing preprints and unpublished research. arXiv is run by Cornell University, and any researcher can submit their work to the platform. Once you submit your paper, it'll be reviewed by a moderator, and if it's approved, it'll be published on the site and be available for everyone to read.

arXiv is often used by researchers to get early feedback on their work before submitting it to a traditional journal. It's also a great way to share your research quickly with a wider audience and get noticed by potential collaborators and employers.

3. PLOS ONE

PLOS ONE is a peer-reviewed, open-access scientific journal that publishes research in a variety of fields. It's free to submit your work to PLOS ONE, and if your paper is accepted, it'll be available for everyone to read immediately. PLOS ONE prides itself on being fast and transparent, with an average time to first decision of 27 days.

One of the unique things about PLOS ONE is that it doesn't reject papers based on their perceived impact or significance. Instead, the journal evaluates papers based on their scientific soundness and leaves it up to readers to decide the importance of the research. This means that you don't need to worry as much about fitting your research into a particular journal's narrow scope.

Conclusion

While traditional publishing is still the gold standard in academia, free publishing platforms like Zenodo, arXiv, and PLOS ONE are changing the landscape. These platforms give researchers a way to share their work with a wider audience, get early feedback on their research, and build their reputation in their field. By using these platforms, you can unleash your academic knowledge and contribute to the collective knowledge of humanity.