10 OJS Theme for Your Valuable Journal, Which is The Best?

Introduction

Being in the online world means highlighting visual appeal. Based on research, when someone wants to buy a product online, it only takes about 3 seconds for potential customers to decide the credibility of the site they are visiting or move on to another site.

Basically the same logic also applies to the journal that you build. Imagine that you have a research draft that you have been writing for months and want to publish the article. When you conduct a survey in several journals, for example you find an online journal A and an online journal B. In these two conditions, journal A has a simple appearance, while journal B is well designed with an organized journal theme, editorial team information displayed clearly, as well as other menus and indexation information displayed in full.

Of course, rationally, authors will be more interested and confident in submitting their scientific writings in journal B which is built with good display organization. Not only that, the display theme of a journal must also pay attention to load speed, support responsive displays, readability and settings that suit the specific needs of the journal.

Not only for the author, a well-designed journal appearance that includes consistency and ease of sharing on social media is also important for a reader. So readers can share articles or journals they have visited without hesitation, which will ultimately increase the positive impact on the number of citations in your journal.

The indexation process carried out by various assessment institutions such as WOS and Scopus also pays attention to how themes are applied in online journals considering the importance of a display that is easy to navigate for site visitors.

The following is an example of requirements applied by WOS as parameters in assessing a journal site, please click the following link:

WOS Requirement and Criteria

Important Principles in Choosing an OJS Theme

Choosing the right theme for your journal, not only talks about appearance but also the theme’s compatibility with several standards of indexation, good organization of information needed by visitors, specific displays for your journal such as DOI, author ORCID information, ease of navigation and additional features that are available. benefits your journal such as tags and categories displayed in articles.

You need to understand the needs between general sites and online journals, especially OJS-based ones. We have summarized several important principles that you can use in choosing the right theme for your journal which will give rise to the following benefits:

1. Compatibility with Indexing
2. Complete Theme Menu
3. Theme Consistency
4. Navigation Button Access
5. Search Feature
6. Indexing Logo
7. Responsive Design
8. Security
9. Detailed Author Information
10. Display Galley Files (PDF, XML)
11. Article Statistics
12. Information About International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
13. Technical Support
14. Simplify the article submission process
15. Theme Warranty or Maintenance Period
16. Citation Analysis (Google Scholar or Crossref)
17. Trusted Service Provider

For more details regarding several of the principle points above, please check the following explanation.

1. Compatibility with Indexing

The most important element of a theme is theme compatibility with various indexing. Avoid themes that are not popular or rarely used by other journals. This is because this theme has not gone through various feedback or tests in the assessment process from reputable indexations such as DialNet, WOS, Scopus, DOAJ and other international indexations. The factors provided by the theme for indexers are one element that the journal has indeed been managed professionally by the manager. Apart from that, there are several features of the display that do not only talk about the display but other features such as the availability of DOI information, Author Affiliation and so on.

For example, the requirements implemented by World of Science (WoS). Some of the assessment criteria applied by WoS require information on journals such as ISSN, Editorial Board, Author Affiliates, and others as in the image below.

For complete information regarding the requirements implemented by WoS, please visit the following link:
Web of Science Journal Evaluation Process and Selection Criteria

DOAJ also has requirements set for journal assessment. Such as requiring Galley features (PDF, HTML), Editorial Board, ISSN, Author Instructions, and others as shown in the image below.

For detailed information regarding the requirements applied by DOAJ in assessing journal indexation, please visit the following link:
DOAJ Indexing Requirements

2. Complete Theme Menu

Complete menu and theme features, such as Sidebar Menu, Editorial Board, Indexing, Statistics, New Issue, Article Details, and others. With various features and a complete menu, it will make it easier for visitors to find the various information they need. For example, visitors want to know more detailed information regarding the list of editorial teams and those responsible for the journal, then they will find it easily in the Editorial Board menu.
The following is an example of a sidebar menu found in a theme.

This sidebar menu has an important role in displaying various information needed by visitors. Such as information regarding Focus & Scope, Manuscript Templates, Publication Ethics, Article Processing Charges, and others.

3. Theme Consistency

A good theme should be created with consistent typography, elements and layout. This is necessary so that the journal can be easily read and used by visitors. For example, hyperlink elements that are easy to distinguish from regular text, buttons that are clearly visible and easy to access and clear separation between each element on the page. The OJS theme must also support all the features of OJS such as the availability of static page features, archive pages, article search pages and so on.
The following is an example of applying hyperlink elements to a theme.

Based on this image, it can be seen that the hyperlink element has a different appearance from regular text. The hyperlink element is marked with blue text. When the hyperlink is clicked, it will direct visitors to the relevant information page. With the difference in appearance between hyperlink elements and plain text, it will be easier for visitors to differentiate them.

4. Navigation Button Access

There are navigation buttons that are organized and easy to access. Usually this navigation button contains links to go to other important information pages such as home, archive, announcement, contact, submissions and others. For example, a writer who wants to submit a scientific article, of course they will look for navigation buttons related to “submissions”. So the placement of the “submissions” navigation button should be in a position that is easy to access. So the theme we choose must be able to display various navigation menus in the right position, so that they are easily accessed by visitors.
The following is an example of navigation buttons in a theme.

Generally, these navigation buttons are placed in the header, so that they are easily accessed by visitors. Because this button has an important role in helping visitors find various important information they need.

5. Search Feature

The search feature should be easy to access and function well. When visiting a journal site, we will find various article titles on it. And when we want to search for a particular article title, we have to use the search feature. Therefore, the chosen theme must be able to display and carry out the function of this search feature well. This makes it easier for visitors to search for specific article titles.
The following is a picture of the search feature on the journal site.

This search feature will make it easier for visitors to find the article title they need. By entering certain keywords, this feature will then display a list of relevant article titles. Apart from that, visitors can also apply search filters such as searching by publication date, or by author name.

6. Indexing Logo

There is a section that displays the indexing logo. Indexing is proof that the journal is suitable for widespread publication by fulfilling various predetermined assessment requirements. So the indexing logo on the theme must be in a position that is easily seen by visitors, such as on the main page or below the homepage image. Having an indexing logo displayed will also provide added value to the journal site, and can increase credibility.
The following is an example of an indexing logo displayed.

Several themes usually display this indexing logo with their own presentation style, some are presented dynamically or statically. Above is the indexing logo displayed dynamically in a carousel style, you can check it directly by click this link.

7. Responsive Design

The theme should have a responsive design. In general, every journal site will have several navigation menus such as home, archive, about journal, contact, and others. When visitors access the site via desktop or mobile device, the site will display a menu with a slightly different composition. For example, regarding the various navigation menus, in the mobile version the display will be combined in a dropdown button. So the theme we choose must be able to display the various menus responsively. To make it easier for visitors to access various existing information using any device.
The following is an example of a dropdown button displayed on the mobile version.

Next, when the button is clicked, a menu option will appear as shown in the image below.

With the dropdown button, it will make it easier for visitors to access various existing navigation menus even if accessed via a mobile device. So the theme chosen must be able to present various information or menus responsively, so that it can be accessed by users using any device, including desktop and mobile devices.

8. Security

It is important to understand that choosing a visual appeal not only prioritizes usability and ease of interface of the theme, but also security points are very important. This ensures that the theme used does not become a source or door where hackers can use the theme to illegally access important files in OJS, insert malware or even damage the overall reputation of the journal by inserting links to external pages such as pornography, gambling or websites. other unethical. Unfortunately, journal editorialists often don’t realize this because the appearance of sites infected with malware will only be read by indexing or search engines. The impact is very fatal to the journal’s reputation. Your journal will be blacklisted by Google, Google Scholar and other indexers.

Examples of journals affected by hacks or malware like this:

So it is very important to prioritize theme selection to pay attention to security based on recommendations from the documentation provided by PKP.

9. Detailed Author Information

There is a feature that displays author information in detail, including name, affiliation and other information. This will certainly help encourage authors to include their articles on the journal website. Having detailed information about the author is also one of the important requirements implemented by WoS as an assessment parameter in indexing.

The image above is one of the assessment aspects implemented by WoS as a requirement to fulfill indexing, more details can be checked on this link:
Web of Science Journal Evaluation Process and Selection Criteria

10. Display Galley Files (PDF, XML)

Can display article information in the form of Galley Files such as PDF or XML. When visitors click on an article title, they want to see the contents of the article as a whole. For example, when they click on the Galley in PDF format, they will be able to access the article with two options, namely viewing a preview of the article content or downloading the article. So, we have to choose a theme that can display and organize the Galley Files so that they are easily accessible to visitors. So that visitors can access the contents of the article according to their needs.

Above is an example of a Galley button in PDF format displayed on a theme. When clicking the PDF button, visitors will be directed to a preview of the article content and there is also a download option to save the article in PDF format.

11. Article Statistics

There is a statistics feature that displays detailed article information. These statistics can consist of statistics on the number of views, number of article downloads, or number of visitors to the journal site. This is necessary to identify which articles are most needed by visitors or are most in demand. One of the functions of these statistics is that they can provide an idea for a publisher or writer to create relevant research article titles in the future.

Above is an image of a theme that displays statistics regarding the number of readers and number of downloads for an article. Displaying this number really helps visitors to show the popularity of an article and as a pointer for visitors to provide citations.

12. Information About International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

Themes can display information about the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN). Important ISSNs are displayed on journal pages as one of the metadata to help journal indexing. Apart from that, having the ISSN displayed will increase the credibility of the journal site.
The following is an example of an ISSN displayed on the journal website.

Information regarding ISSN should be placed in a strategic position such as in the header. This is so that visitors can easily find the ISSN information and to fulfill the requirements set by various indexing institutions which require an ISSN.

13. Technical Support

There is technical support from the theme developer. When you want to use a theme, it is important for you to choose a theme that provides technical support from the developer. This is because at any time you may encounter an obstacle or small problem, such as finding an error or bug in the theme. So to make it easier for you to get technical assistance quickly and precisely, all you have to do is contact the theme developer.

14. Simplify the article submission process

The theme used should be well designed to simplify the process of submitting an article. This will of course make it easier for the author to submit his article or for an editor or journal manager to manage the article. For example, when an author visits a journal website and wants to submit an article, they will look for a menu that can direct them to the context of submitting articles or “submissions”. So the theme used must be able to place the submission button in a position that is easily accessible to visitors.
The following is an example of placing the submissions button on a theme.

Based on this image, the submission button is placed right below the navigation menu and adjacent to the header. When visitors first visit the site, it will be easy for them to find and access it. So it will make it easier for a visitor when they want to submit an article on the site.

15. Theme Warranty or Maintenance Period

Long-term maintenance, avoid using themes that do not have a guarantee for the long-term existence and maintenance of the theme. This is because OJS always updates periodically so getting a compatible theme for each version of OJS is very important.

16. Citation Analysis (Google Scholar or Crossref)

If possible, there is a citation analysis feature taken from external data such as Google Scholar and other sources such as Crossref. An article that is indexed on several platforms such as Google Scholar or CrossRef can be accessed freely by other people, especially for the purposes of citing scientific articles. The number of article citations should be displayed on the journal website.

This needs to be done in order to increase the credibility of the journal, and to attract the interest of other authors to submit their articles on the journal site. To make it easier to display the number of citations, we recommend using the Most Cited Google Scholar and Most Cited Crossref plugins. Both plugins automatically update citation data over a certain period of time, and installation is quite easy.
The following is an example of citation analysis displayed by the Most Cited Google Scholar plugin.

Based on this image, there is various important information such as the article title, author’s name, year of publication, and number of citations. All citation data will be updated regularly by the plugin. So you don’t need to bother making edits if there are changes to the citation data in the future, because all data will be updated automatically.

17. Trusted Service Provider

Apart from several principle points that have been explained previously, there is another point that we must consider when choosing a theme, namely involving a trusted service provider. The big question is why is this necessary? Because when buying a product, especially a theme, we need to pay attention to aspects of its use in the long term. Having a trusted service provider means that they are able to take full responsibility for the products they develop and have experienced. When we use a theme, it is possible that at some day bugs or errors will be found, or it may even require theme compatibility with the OJS version used. Even if this compatibility is not carried out, it is possible that the theme will experience some kind of bug or error.

Let’s imagine if this error or bug continued to occur on our site, then this would be at risk of hampering publication activities in the journal and even risking reducing the journal’s reputation. By having a trusted service provider, we don’t need to worry if we find bugs, errors or the like in the future. If we find this problem, we just need to report it to the provider or developer. Then they will solve the problem quickly and precisely. So that activities in your journal can run smoothly without any problems.

Above are several important principles in choosing a theme. In contrast to the needs of websites in general, online journals focus more on the impact of the articles themselves so that the principles are set relevant to these needs. And the most important point is that if all the principles of this theme have been fulfilled, it will make it easier for you to fulfill the assessment requirements by various indexing institutions. So it will increase the credibility of the journal site that you have.

There is one theme that used to be quite widely used by publishers or journal managers. The theme is Classic Theme. This theme was developed directly by PKP, consisting of Vitaliy Bezsheiko and friends.
The following is a preview of the appearance of the Classic Theme.
(live demo: https://demo.publicknowledgeproject.org/ojs3/demo/index.php/classic)

Although this theme is one of the themes that is quite widely used by publishers. However, if we look in detail, the various menus or information in it are very limited and difficult to customize. This makes it difficult for us to display various other important information that we want to convey to visitors. On this basis, the use of the Classic Theme is currently deemed inappropriate. Because it is unable to display various information that is actually very important to display, such as author affiliation, article DOI, JATS Parser, and others. So using the Classic Theme is deemed inappropriate, because it is still unable to support the various information needs for your journal site.

Indirectly, using a theme that gives the impression of being “as is” will reduce the potential of the journal to attract more quality submissions or even reduce citations of articles published by the journal.

To help increase the accessibility of your online journal, below we provide detailed information regarding a list of 10 journal themes that you can use, both free and paid.

List of OJS Themes

The following are themes that you can use, both free and premium (paid). We collected several lists of themes based on the research we conducted.

1. Manuscript Theme

Developer : Nate Wright (PKP) 
Theme download URL : https://github.com/NateWr/defaultManuscript/archive/refs/heads/master.zip 
Version Compatibility  : Compatible with OJS 3.1.1 and OJS 3.0.2
Display Preview:
Source (https://demo.publicknowledgeproject.org/ojs3/demo/index.php/manuscript)

Manuscript Theme is one of the themes developed directly by PKP. This theme is available for free, so you can use it on your journal site whenever you want. In general, the function of the menu displayed in this theme is sufficient to support the journal’s needs. However, along with the development of various journal publication needs today, this theme cannot fully meet these various needs. So this theme is deemed less suitable to fulfill the need to display a variety of quite complex information. This theme is a theme that is quite widely used by several publishers. But unfortunately this theme is only compatible with OJS 3.0.2 and OJS 3.1.1 versions. Until now, this theme has no longer been developed, because the developer has stopped being a staff member of PKP and has left the development project.

Below are several points explaining the advantages and disadvantages of this theme.

Advantages :

1. Free or unpaid.
2. Supports display of JATS parser
3. Simple appearance and elegant design
4. Responsive Theme

Disadvantages :

1. The theme is no longer developed and does not support versions 3.3 and 3.4. Most likely this theme has ended its life considering that the developer has now moved on from PKP staff (left as PKP staff).
2. Has limitations in customization. If you want to change the appearance or certain features, you may need to consider a custom theme or another theme that is more flexible.
3. The main page is too narrow, making it difficult for you to add various menus or other important information.
4. Cannot display author affiliation on articles so there is a lack of information

2. Old greg

Developer : Vitaliy Bezsheiko, MD
Theme download URL : https://github.com/Vitaliy-1/oldGregg/archive/refs/heads/main.zip
Version Compatibility  : Compatible with OJS 3.3.0, OJS 3.2.1, OJS 3.1.2
Display Preview:
Source (https://ojsdemo.e-medjournal.com/index.php/psp)

Old Greg is a theme developed by Vitaliy Bezsheiko, MD. Based on the information sources obtained, this theme is compatible with various versions of OJS starting from version OJS 3.1.2 to version OJS 3.3.0. In general, the appearance of this theme is quite simple. However, without ignoring the function of the menu or the availability of various existing information. This theme prioritizes the reader’s experience. When readers visit a site that uses this theme for the first time, they will be able to see directly on the main page (home) information regarding the list of the latest articles and the content of the most read articles. This theme itself was developed by just one person, so it has the potential not to be developed in the future. Apart from that, considering that currently this theme is only handled by one person, the support provided is also very minimal. So when you encounter problems related to this theme, you will find it difficult to ask for help quickly and appropriately.

Below are several points explaining the advantages and disadvantages of this theme.

Advantages :

1. Supports display of JATS parser
2. Integration of theme features with Bootstrap 4 framework
3. The view loads one page
4. Makes it easier for readers to quickly find the latest article content or the most read articles on the main page

Disadvantages :

1. The Old Greg theme is not fully compatible with the latest version of OJS, which may cause technical problems in the system
2. Limited customization
3. Minimal theme update support
4. Does not support the display of view & download statistics of an article
5. The navigation menu in the footer is too large, and quite complicated to customize its appearance
6. Cannot display author affiliation on articles

3. Pragma Theme

Developer : Vitaliy Bezsheiko
Theme download URL : https://github.com/pkp/pragma/archive/refs/heads/main.zip
Version Compatibility  : Compatible with OJS 3.4.0, OJS 3.3.0, OJS 3.2.1, OJS 3.1.2
Display Preview :
Source (https://demo.publicknowledgeproject.org/ojs3/demo/index.php/pragma)

Pragma theme is a theme that comes by adapting classic concepts. Where the colors displayed are very minimal, so visitors have no difficulty finding the various menus or information contained in it. In general, the appearance of this theme is very simple, suitable for those of you who don’t like displays that are too complex. But again it depends on your individual needs. If you want a theme with a simple concept, then you can consider this theme for use in your OJS. This theme is compatible with OJS 3.4, so you don’t need to worry about compatibility issues.

Below are several points explaining the advantages and disadvantages of this theme.

Advantages :

1. Compatible up to OJS 3.4 version
2. Simple appearance with classic colors
3. Responsive design
4. Well organized menu navigation
5. Easy to access with mobile devices (mobile friendly)

Disadvantages :

1. The appearance is less visually attractive and uses old colors
2. Theme is not compatible with the latest version of OJS
3. Limited customization
4. Minimal theme update support
5. Does not support display from JATS parser
6. Cannot display author affiliation on articles

4. Health Sciences Theme

Developer : Vitaliy Bezsheiko, Sophy Ouch  dan Nate Wright
Theme download URL : https://github.com/pkp/healthSciences/archive/refs/heads/main.zip
Version Compatibility  : Compatible with OJS 3.4.0, OJS 3.3.0, OJS 3.2.1, OJS 3.1.2
Display Preview :
Source (https://demo.publicknowledgeproject.org/ojs3/demo/index.php/health-sciences)

Health Science Theme is a theme developed directly by PKP. This theme carries a modern minimalist concept. When we visit this theme site directly, we will be able to see a homepage image on the main page. Of course, this can help us to represent the context of the contents of our journal through the homepage image displayed. Regarding compatibility, this theme is compatible with OJS 3.4 version. The navigation menu displayed is very easy to find, making it easier for visitors who are visiting a journal site that uses this theme for the first time. Some of the information related to the articles displayed is also sufficient to meet the needs of readers.

Below are several points explaining the advantages and disadvantages of this theme.

Advantages :

1. The page display is full screen
2. The menu navigation buttons are well organized
3. Elegant and professional appearance
4. Homepage image available

Disadvantages :

1. The theme is not compatible with the latest version of OJS update
2. Limited customization
3. Minimal theme update support
4. Does not support display from JATS parser
5. Cannot display author affiliation on articles

5. Immersion Theme

Developer : Sophy Ouch, Vitaliy Bezsheiko, John Willinsky, and Kevin Stranack.
Theme download URL : https://github.com/pkp/immersion/archive/refs/heads/main.zip
Version Compatibility  : Compatible with OJS 3.4.0, OJS 3.3.0, OJS 3.2.1, OJS 3.1.2
Display Preview :
Source (https://demo.publicknowledgeproject.org/ojs3/demo/index.php/immersion)

Immersion Theme is one of the OJS themes developed directly by PKP. This theme comes with a colorful and modern concept. One of the things that differentiates this theme from other themes is that this theme is presented in full screen. So when we visit this theme, it feels like there is almost no empty space in it. You don’t need to worry about the menu functions in it, because the menu navigation provided is sufficient to support your journal needs. Apart from that, the presentation of information from each article is sufficient to meet the general needs of visitors. Of course, this theme also supports and is compatible with OJS 3.4.

Below are several points explaining the advantages and disadvantages of this theme.

Advantages :

1. Full screen page display
2. Simple and modern appearance
3. Various citation format options are available
4. Easy to access navigation buttons
5. Galley files (PDF, XML) can be accessed easily without having to click on the article title
6. Can display DOI on each article
7. ORCID placement is available for authors on articles

Disadvantages :

1. Limited customization
2. Minimal theme update support
3. Does not support display from JATS parser
4. The header size is too large
5. Navigation is too simple and less interesting
6. Menu sessions are too large and take up page space
7. Cannot display author affiliation
8. Does not support all languages

6. Default Bootstrap Theme

Developer : Sophy Ouch, Vitaliy Bezsheiko, John Willinsky, and Kevin Stranack.
Theme download URL : https://github.com/pkp/bootstrap3/archive/refs/heads/main.zip
Version Compatibility  : Compatible with OJS 3.4.0, OJS 3.3.0, OJS 3.2.1, OJS 3.1.2
Display Preview :
Source (https://demo.publicknowledgeproject.org/ojs3/demo/index.php/boot1)

Bootstrap theme is an OJS theme released directly by PKP. This theme is available for free on the OJS system, so you can install it whenever you want. This theme presents a display concept that is simple, but still informative. So it can help to increase the visibility of your journal site. So far Bootstrap Theme is a theme that is quite widely used by several journal sites. You can also consider whether this theme is suitable for use on your journal site. And what is no less important is that this theme supports OJS 3.4 version.

Below are several points explaining the advantages and disadvantages of this theme.

Advantages :

1. Simple design appearance
2. Easy to access menu navigation
3. It is compatible with the latest OJS version 3.4
4. Galley (PDF, XML) on each article is easily accessible to users
5. Easy to access with mobile devices (mobile friendly)
6. The placement between the latest issues and the article list is well organized
7. There are detailed publication dates for each article
8. Can display author affiliation

Disadvantages :

1. Limited customization
2. Minimal theme update support
3. Does not support display from JATS parser
4. Theme is not fully responsive works well, tablets and phones
5. Cannot display article DOI
6. Cannot display ORCID on author
7. There is no feature to display the number of article downloads
8. Cannot display the number of article views
9. Release cycle is slow as it maintain by one person only.

7. Classic Theme – SEISENSE

Developer : SEISENSE
Theme purchase product link : – (no active link)
Version Compatibility  : Compatible with OJS 3.4.0, OJS 3.3.0, OJS 3.2.1, OJS 3.1.2
Display Preview :
Source (https://demojournals.seisense.org/index.php/smone)

This theme is developed by SEISENSE. SEISENSE itself has released several other OJS themes, one of which is Classic which is being discussed today. Classic is an OJS theme created with a modern minimalist concept. SEISENSE itself is actually a journal publisher, and not a company that handles or develops OJS products specifically. So far it is not clear who the person behind SEISENSE is or the developers involved in it. This is of course very risky if you use their theme, considering that in the future there will definitely be technical obstacles or other problems that will be faced from using this theme. Of course, this is very risky if you use their themes, including this Classic theme. So it is very important for you to choose a theme that clearly contains information about the developer or the parties involved in it. So if there are problems or obstacles that arise from using this theme, you don’t need to be confused about looking for help. This theme cannot display affiliation with an author, even though affiliation is quite an important thing to display to find out detailed information about an author. Apart from that, this theme also cannot display the DOI of each article.

Below are several points explaining the advantages and disadvantages of this theme.

Advantages :

1. The theme appearance is simple and elegant
2. This theme is compatible with the latest OJS version 3.4
3. There is a detailed article publication date
4. Galley Files (PDF) of articles can be accessed easily
5. Can display article categories

Disadvantages :

1. Not battle tested for various indexing such as Scopus, WoS, DOAJ, DIALNET, Cite Factor and others.
2. Use by very small portion of OJS user
3. Limited customization
4. Functional limitations
5. Standard design appearance
6. Does not support display from JATS parser
7. There is no feature to display the number of view and download clicks
8. Does not display affiliate features from the author
9. There is no DOI display feature
10. Branding changes to the journal are not available such as color changes
11. 2 block layout thus limiting the journal in displaying additional features
12. There are very few theme users, so it has not been tested for compatibility with various indexing
13. Theme sale is considered as side job only as the company mainly focus on journal publishing.
14. Cost is relatively expensive compare with the provided feature in the product.

8. Noble Theme

Developer : Openjournaltheme Team (OJT Team)
Theme purchase product link : https://openjournaltheme.com/noble-ojs-3-theme
Version Compatibility  : Compatible with OJS 3.4.0, OJS 3.3.0, OJS 3.2.1.4
Display Preview :
Source (https://demo.openjournaltheme.com/noble)

The noble theme is one of the OJS themes developed by the Openjournaltheme Team (OJT Team). This theme applies an aesthetic and elegant design concept. This theme is designed specifically and carefully, so that your journal presentation can be presented completely and clearly. With an elegant and harmonious design, it will make it easier for readers to access every detailed information in the journal. This Noble theme is the only theme that provides comfort for readers, because of the dark mode feature available. So as to provide comfort for readers who listen to content in dark conditions or at night. And the important point is, this theme is compatible with the OJS 3.4 version and will always be updated to suit the OJS version that will be released in the future. So you don’t need to worry about compatibility issues.

Below are several points explaining the advantages and disadvantages of this theme.

Advantages :

1. Proven Battle tested for various indexing such as Scopus, WoS, DOAJ, DIALNET, Cite Factor and others.
2. Use by many reputable journal from Q1 journal to new comers journal.
3. Noble theme is fully compatible with the latest version of OJS update
4. Simple and elegant design appearance
5. Has interesting features with the integration of the Editorial Pick feature as an additional plugin
6. Speed optimization
7. A dark mode feature is available to make it easier to read at night or in dark conditions, making it easier for readers to explore more of the journal
8. Articles can be categorized and articles with citation badges
9. Change font color easily
10. The theme has been used by thousand of clients so compatibility with various indexing has been tested
11. There are several theme options including custom color changes and other configurations.

Disadvantages :

1. The themes are paid premium and not free
2. Cannot be made into 3 columns
3. The indexing logo placement is still static

9. Novelty Theme

Developer : Openjournaltheme Team (OJT Team)
Theme purchase product link : https://openjournaltheme.com/novelty-ojs3-theme
Version Compatibility  : Compatible with OJS 3.4.0, OJS 3.3.0, OJS 3.2.1.4
Display Preview :
Source (https://demo.openjournaltheme.com/novelty)

The Novelty theme is one of the mainstay OJS themes developed by the Openjournaltheme Team (OJT Team). This theme has been widely used by hundreds of clients, and has been proven to be able to help various journals meet the requirements and get Scopus indexation. The Novelty theme is oriented towards readers and writers, so that the various information contained in it has high visibility and is easy to access. Of course, this will have a positive impact and progress for your journal site. The Novelty theme is equipped with a main display consisting of 3 columns, making it easier for you to add various menus or other important information. So the Novelty theme is the right choice for those of you who want to present various complex information in a complete and detailed manner.

Below are several points explaining the advantages and disadvantages of this theme.

Advantages :

1. Proven Battle tested for various indexing such as Scopus, WoS, DOAJ, DIALNET, Cite Factor and others.
2. Modern, Responsive and Unique Design
3. Articles can include images and Citation Badges
4. Supports display of JATS parser
5. Novelty theme is fully compatible with the latest version of OJS update
6. Easy to change the same design and equipped with Popular Bootstrap 3 Integration
7. Clickable reviewers and authors
8. Very fast theme loading
9. The theme works well on desktop, tablet and mobile
10. The theme has been used by hundreds of clients so compatibility with various indexing has been tested
11. Theme is compatible with homeslider plugin
12. Compatible with Crossref Crossmark in the article detail view

Disadvantages :

1. Themes are premium and not free
2. Cannot be made into 2 columns as it built for 3 columns design
3. The dark mode or dark reading mode feature is not yet available

10. Academic Pro (Available in Free and Paid Version)

Developer : Openjournaltheme Team (OJT Team)
Theme purchase product link : https://openjournaltheme.com/academic-pro-ojs3-theme
Version Compatibility  : Compatible with OJS 3.4.0, OJS 3.3.0, OJS 3.2.1.4
Display Preview :
Source (https://demo.openjournaltheme.com/jcb)

Academic Pro is a theme developed by the Openjournaltheme Team (OJT Team). This theme is specially designed in a professional and detailed manner, to increase the visibility of the journal site. So that any important information you want to convey can be displayed clearly and completely. And the important point is that this theme is also available in a free version. The free version of this theme is Academic Free. You can use this Academic Free theme whenever you want. To be able to use the Academic Free theme, please click the following link Academic Free Theme Tutorial.
Both the Academic Pro and Academic Free themes have almost the same advantages. If you want to experience the function and appearance of the theme for free, you can try using the Academic Free Theme. However, if you want to get maximum results, you can upgrade to use the paid version, namely Academic Pro. As a premium (paid) theme, of course the Academic Pro theme has its own advantages compared to Academic Free.

Below are several points explaining the advantages and disadvantages of this theme.

Advantages :

1. Available the free version (Academic Free)
2. Proven Battle tested for various indexing such as Scopus, WoS, DOAJ, DIALNET, Cite Factor and others.
3. Most used product by many journal
4. Modern, Responsive and Unique Design
5. Supports display of JATS Parser
6. Can be accessed via desktop, tablet or mobile phone
7. Additional images are available for the editorial team
8. The DOI of the article can be displayed properly
9. Can display the affiliation of each author
10. There is a feature to display the number of visitor statistics for each article title
11. Display a dynamic indexing logo with a carousel style on the main page
12. Galley files (PDF, XML) of each article can be easily accessed by visitors
13. Provides various citation format options
14. There is a statistics feature that displays the number of article downloads
15. Can display detailed publish and submit dates for each article

Disadvantages :

1. The main page only has 2 columns, like most themes
2. The dark mode feature is not yet available
3. You have to click on the article title to see details regarding the number of downloads
4. Can only choose 1 main theme color

Conclusion

Some of the themes that we present, both free and premium, each have their own advantages. For many OJS users, such as the Editor team, themes are freely available on the internet, and ease of implementation is an important factor so that the results applied can match expectations. Apart from that, another factor is the compatibility of various indexing. Don’t let it happen that even though you have finished applying the theme, it turns out that the theme has problems with indexation such as Google Scholar or other indexing.

As in our experience, it turns out that there are certain requirements for indexing from Latin America – Dial Net which require that the journal display must have certain elements. This is also the case with other leading indexers, where they require a journal to clearly display the editorial team on the journal page. In general, additional elements or blocks like this are not provided by themes in general. This is different from premium themes which are always developed based on input from users and theme improvement trends. So it is very important to pay detailed and complete attention to the features displayed in the theme, to make it easier for you to fulfill the assessment requirements by various indexing institutions later.

If you have another theme that we don’t show here, please inform us about it in the comments to this article.

Muhammad Arifin

Arifin here, I writing about OJS and share knowledge about OJS