DOAJ Scraper

🚀 Extract comprehensive open access journal data from DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals) with ease and precision.

The DOAJ Scraper is your gateway to accessing the world's largest directory of open access journals. Whether you're a researcher, librarian, academic publisher, or data analyst, this tool helps you collect detailed journal information including titles, publishers, ISSNs, subjects, languages, licensing information, and much more. Save hours of manual research and get structured, ready-to-use data in minutes.

Target Audience: Researchers, librarians, academic publishers, data analysts, and information professionals Primary Use Cases: Academic research, journal discovery, metadata collection, open access analysis, library cataloging

What Does DOAJ Scraper Do?

This tool collects comprehensive journal data from DOAJ.org, supporting both search-based discovery and direct URL scraping. It delivers:

• Journal titles and alternative titles
• Publisher information and institutional details
• ISSN numbers (print and electronic)
• Subject classifications and keywords
• Language information
• License types and URLs
• Editorial review processes
• APC (Article Processing Charge) information
• Publication timelines
• Full-text format details
• Persistent identifier information
• And more

Business Value: Access structured journal metadata for research analysis, library cataloging, academic publishing decisions, and open access compliance tracking.

How to use the DOAJ Scraper - Full Demo

[YouTube video embed or link]

Watch this 3-minute demo to see how easy it is to get started!

Input

To start DOAJ web scraping, simply fill in the input form. You can scrape DOAJ based on:

• Search Query - Enter a search term to find journals (e.g., "machine learning", "medicine", "engineering"). The scraper uses Elasticsearch query syntax to find matching journals.
• Start URLs - Provide direct URLs to specific journal detail pages on DOAJ (e.g., https://doaj.org/toc/12345). Use this when you know exactly which journals you want to scrape.
• maxItems - Set the maximum number of journals to collect. Free users: Required, maximum 50. Paid users: Optional, maximum 1,000,000. Leave empty for unlimited (paid users only).

Important: You must choose EITHER Search Query OR Start URLs, not both. They are mutually exclusive input methods.

Here's what the input configuration looks like in JSON:

{
    "searchQuery": "machine learning",
    "maxItems": 100
}

Or using direct URLs:

{
    "startUrl": [
        "https://doaj.org/toc/12345",
        "https://doaj.org/toc/67890"
    ],
    "maxItems": 10
}

Output

After the Actor finishes its run, you'll get a dataset with the output. The length of the dataset depends on the amount of results you've set. You can download those results as an Excel, HTML, XML, JSON, and CSV document.

Here's an example of scraped DOAJ journal data you'll get if you decide to scrape journals about "machine learning":

{
    "primaryImageUrl": "https://doaj.org/logo.png",
    "journalId": "12345",
    "title": "Journal of Machine Learning Research",
    "publisher": "MIT Press",
    "issn": ["1532-4435"],
    "eissn": "1532-4435",
    "pissn": "",
    "description": "An open access journal publishing research in machine learning.",
    "keywords": ["machine learning", "artificial intelligence", "data science"],
    "subjects": ["Computer Science", "Artificial Intelligence"],
    "subjectCodes": ["L7", "I2"],
    "languages": ["English"],
    "licenseType": ["CC BY"],
    "licenseUrl": ["https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"],
    "country": "United States",
    "createdDate": "2020-01-15T00:00:00Z",
    "lastUpdated": "2024-03-20T00:00:00Z",
    "journalUrl": "https://jmlr.org",
    "homepageUrl": "https://jmlr.org",
    "hasApc": false,
    "platform": "OJS",
    "url": "https://doaj.org/toc/12345",
    "scrapedTimestamp": "2024-12-20T10:30:00.000Z"
}

What You Get: Complete journal metadata including identification, publisher details, subject classifications, licensing information, editorial processes, and access details for comprehensive analysis and cataloging.

Download Options: CSV, Excel, or JSON formats for easy analysis and integration with your existing systems.

Why Choose the DOAJ Scraper?

• Comprehensive Data Collection: Extract all available journal metadata in a single run, including publisher information, ISSNs, subjects, languages, licenses, and editorial details
• Flexible Search Options: Use search queries to discover journals or provide direct URLs for specific journal scraping
• Structured Output: Get clean, structured data ready for analysis, cataloging, or integration with library systems
• Time Savings: Automate journal data collection that would take hours or days to do manually
• Open Access Focus: Specifically designed for DOAJ's open access journal directory with all relevant metadata fields

Time Savings: Collect hundreds of journal records in minutes instead of spending hours manually browsing and copying information.

Efficiency: Automated data extraction is 100x faster than manual research, allowing you to focus on analysis rather than data collection.

How to Use

1. Sign Up: Create a free account w/ $5 credit (takes 2 minutes)
2. Find the Scraper: Visit the DOAJ Scraper page
3. Set Input: Add your search query or journal URLs (we'll show you exactly what to enter)
4. Run It: Click "Start" and let it collect your data
5. Download Data: Get your results in the "Dataset" tab as CSV, Excel, or JSON

Total Time: Less than 5 minutes from sign-up to downloaded data No Technical Skills Required: Everything is point-and-click

Business Use Cases

Academic Researchers:

• Discover open access journals in your field
• Analyze journal metadata for research projects
• Track licensing and open access compliance
• Build comprehensive journal databases

Librarians:

• Catalog open access journals for library collections
• Update journal metadata in library systems
• Track journal changes and updates
• Generate reports on open access coverage

Academic Publishers:

• Research competitor journals and their metadata
• Analyze subject coverage and classification
• Track licensing trends in your field
• Identify gaps in journal coverage

Data Analysts:

• Build comprehensive open access journal databases
• Analyze trends in open access publishing
• Generate reports on journal distribution by subject or country
• Support research on scholarly communication

Using DOAJ Scraper with the Apify API

For advanced users who want to automate this process, you can control the scraper programmatically with the Apify API. This allows you to schedule regular data collection and integrate with your existing business tools.

• Node.js: Install the apify-client NPM package
• Python: Use the apify-client PyPI package
• See the Apify API reference for full details

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How does it work? A: DOAJ Scraper is easy to use and requires no technical knowledge. Simply configure your search parameters or provide journal URLs and let the tool collect the data automatically.

Q: How accurate is the data? A: The scraper extracts data directly from DOAJ's official API and website, ensuring high accuracy and up-to-date information.

Q: Can I schedule regular runs? A: Yes, you can use the Apify API or scheduler to run the scraper automatically at regular intervals to keep your data current.

Q: What if I need help? A: Our support team is here to help you get the most out of this tool. Contact us through the Apify platform.

Q: Is my data secure? A: Yes, all data processing happens securely on Apify's platform, and your results are stored privately in your account.

Integrate DOAJ Scraper with any app and automate your workflow

Last but not least, DOAJ Scraper can be connected with almost any cloud service or web app thanks to integrations on the Apify platform.

These includes:

• Make
• Zapier
• Slack
• Airbyte
• GitHub
• Google Drive
• and much more.

Alternatively, you can use webhooks to carry out an action whenever an event occurs, e.g. get a notification whenever DOAJ Scraper successfully finishes a run.

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Need Help? Our support team is here to help you get the most out of this tool.

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This Actor is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals) or any of its subsidiaries. All trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.