Article Processing Charges
The Archives of Surgery and Clinical Research (ASCR; ISSN: 2576-9537) is an open-access journal. We do not charge submission fees. APCs are requested only after acceptance to support production, indexing, preservation, and long-term access. Editorial decisions are independent of financial considerations.
Overview & Principles
Open access enables immediate, free availability of research and permits reuse with attribution. APCs cover the professional publishing services that make this possible, including editorial management, peer-review administration, copyediting and typesetting, DOI registration, web hosting, indexing exposure, and digital preservation. Our fee policy is designed to be transparent, fair, and consistent, with dedicated provisions for waivers and discounts.
Our commitments
- No submission fees: There is no charge to submit or for initial editorial assessment.
- Decisions based on merit: Acceptance is determined by scientific quality and policy compliance, never by the ability to pay.
- Waivers available: Authors may request waivers or discounts; see the Waiver Policy for criteria and process.
- Transparent reconciliation: Refunds and withdrawal scenarios are handled according to published policies.
What APCs Cover
Included services
- Editorial management and peer-review coordination (double-blind workflow).
- Similarity screening and integrity checks; documentation in the editorial record.
- Professional copyediting, typesetting, figure handling, and author proofing.
- DOI registration and metadata deposits; license and funding data propagation.
- Online hosting, accessibility enhancements, and article-level landing pages.
- Indexing exposure and repository interoperability (OAI-PMH, schema markup).
- Digital preservation, redundancy, and long-term access strategy.
- Helpdesk support for authors, editors, and institutions.
Not covered / Optional
- Third-party print reprints, posters, or custom graphics, if ordered.
- Extensive language editing beyond standard copyedit, if requested as an add-on.
- Bank/wire fees, currency exchange charges, or taxes levied by authorities.
- Corrections/retractions processing (these are part of scholarly record upkeep; they do not trigger new APCs or refunds).
APC Schedule & Categories
ASCR applies a single-transparent APC per accepted article. The current rate and any category-specific notes are posted on the journal’s APCs page. Where institutional or funder agreements exist, those terms supersede the default rate. We do not add surcharges based on color figures, page counts, or number of authors.
| Article category | Notes | APC |
|---|---|---|
| Original Research / Clinical Trials | IMRaD structure; reporting checklists required | See current rate |
| Systematic Reviews / Meta-analyses | PRISMA checklist and search strategies | See current rate |
| Short Communications | Concise reports with focused results | See current rate |
| Case Reports / Series | Consent documentation mandatory where identifiable | See current rate |
| Perspectives / Commentaries | Evidence-led viewpoints and clinical context | See current rate |
| Editorials / Letters | Typically invited; may be fee-exempt | See current rate |
For the most up-to-date rates and any active agreements, please refer to the journal’s APCs page linked in the Sources below.
Waivers & Discounts
We support equitable participation in open science. Authors who face genuine financial barriers may request a partial or full waiver. Decisions consider factors such as institutional resources, funding availability, and the potential impact of the work. Requests should be made at submission or during revision, before acceptance and invoicing, and should include a brief justification. Waiver decisions are independent of editorial assessment of the manuscript.
Invoicing, Payment & Institutional Support
- Timing: Invoices are issued after acceptance and before production begins.
- Methods: We accept major cards and bank transfers. Please do not email card details; we provide secure payment links for electronic transactions.
- Payer: The corresponding author may pay directly or forward the invoice to an institution or funder. If a purchase order (PO) is needed, contact support promptly.
- Currency & taxes: Invoices are denominated in USD unless stated otherwise. Taxes and bank fees charged by third parties are outside the APC and are not refundable by the journal.
- Documentation: Receipts are issued upon payment; institutional remittance advice helps match transfers to invoices quickly.
Institutional & Funder Arrangements
Institutions or funders may arrange centralized billing or pre-approved coverage for accepted articles. Library or department administrators can contact the billing team to set up procedures that streamline payments and reporting.
Refunds, Withdrawals & Corrections
APCs are reconciled transparently when unusual situations arise:
- Refunds: Duplicate or erroneous payments are refunded; see the Refund Policy for details (eligibility, documentation, timelines).
- Withdrawals: If authors request withdrawal after acceptance, stage-based administrative fees may apply per the Withdrawal Policy. APC reconciliation depends on production work already completed.
- Post-publication updates: Corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern are part of maintaining the scholarly record and do not trigger APC refunds.
Independence of decisions: Editorial outcomes are never contingent on payment, waiver approval, or refund status.
Funder & Repository Compliance
ASCR publishes under CC BY 4.0 and supports repository deposit of the version of record (VoR) on publication. We expose machine-readable license and identifier metadata and deposit to DOI registration services to facilitate compliance. Authors should include funder names and grant numbers to enable accurate metadata propagation to indexers and institutional systems.
Checklist for compliance
- Include the grant number(s) and funder names in the manuscript and submission metadata.
- On publication, deposit the VoR in your repository with the DOI and CC BY notice.
- Link datasets and code via persistent identifiers; cite them in the reference list.
Scenarios & Examples
Example: Waiver granted pre-acceptance
An unfunded research team requests a waiver at submission citing limited institutional resources. The waiver is approved before acceptance. After peer review and acceptance, the invoice reflects the waiver—no payment is required from the authors.
Example: Institutional payment via PO
A hospital library covers APCs for accepted clinical studies. The corresponding author forwards the invoice and manuscript ID to the library. The library issues a PO and pays by bank transfer; the receipt is sent to both the author and the library contact.
Example: Withdrawal after acceptance
Following acceptance and invoicing, an analysis error is discovered. The authors request withdrawal. Editorial staff confirm the stage reached in production and apply the Withdrawal Policy; the APC is reconciled against work already completed and any applicable administrative fee, with a partial refund if warranted.
Example: Duplicate card charge
An APC is accidentally paid twice due to a connection retry. The billing team verifies the duplicate transaction and refunds the overpayment to the same card.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you charge to submit?
No. Submissions and initial editorial screening are free.
When will I receive an invoice?
After acceptance and before production. If your institution needs a PO or vendor setup, contact support promptly to avoid delays.
Can I get a waiver after acceptance?
Waiver requests should be made before acceptance. In exceptional cases with clear justification, contact the editorial office immediately.
Are there page or color charges?
No. We do not levy surcharges for page counts, color figures, or author count.
What if a correction or retraction is required later?
We issue citable notices with DOIs to maintain the scholarly record. These updates do not result in APC refunds.
Who is responsible for payment?
By default, the corresponding author is the point of contact. Institutions or funders may pay directly by arrangement.
Contact
Billing and invoices: [email protected] · Editorial questions and waivers: [email protected]