This tool helps journal editors, publishers, journal managers and technical support staff systematically audit journal practices, identify strengths and weaknesses, and plan improvements. It can also be used by institutions and other organizations (external to the journal managers and teams) to audit journals they publish or support.

The framework includes:

• 93 criteria covering journal identification, policies, editorial and technical quality, accessibility and interoperability.
• Descriptions and practical guidance on how to verify each criterion.
• Spread-sheets include fields for recording audit findings, observations and supporting evidence as well as corrective-action planning fields for assigning priorities, responsibilities and deadlines.
• An automated dashboard summarizing audit results and tracking progress.

Download the framework in XLSX format by clicking the Download button on the left, or download here in ODS format.  

Cite as: Kuchma, I., Smith, I., & Ševkušić, M. (2026). Auditing Framework for Diamond Open Access Journals. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22893897 

Related resources

This framework complements two other EIFL resources:

•  Quality in Diamond Open Access Publishing: guidelines, policies and templates (Version 2.0), which provides comprehensive recommendations, policy templates and technical guidance to help journals establish and maintain good publishing practices.
•  Let's Do It Right: Fixing Common Issues in Diamond Open Access Journals, which provides practical guidance for identifying and resolving common problems affecting journal transparency, discoverability and compliance with good publishing practices.

 Together, these three resources form Good Practice in Action: A Toolkit for Diamond OA Journals.