Copyright and Licensing
The Archives of Surgery and Clinical Research (ASCR; ISSN: 2576-9537) publishes open-access research to maximize lawful reuse. This page explains who owns the work, which Creative Commons license applies, how third-party materials are handled, and how to cite and reuse content responsibly.
Who Owns the Work?
Authors retain copyright in the articles they publish with ASCR. During submission, corresponding authors confirm that all contributors have the right to grant a publishing license and that the work is original, properly credited, and free of undisclosed restrictions. Upon acceptance, authors grant ASCR a non-exclusive license to publish, distribute, and archive the version of record (VoR) in all media, and to identify itself as the original publisher. This license enables indexing, preservation, and lawful reuse while allowing authors to reuse their work elsewhere with appropriate citation to the VoR.
Creative Commons License
Unless stated otherwise on the article, ASCR publishes content under the CC BY 4.0 license. CC BY allows anyone to share (copy and redistribute) and adapt (remix, transform, build upon) the material for any purpose, even commercially, provided that they:
- Give appropriate credit to the author(s) and journal.
- Provide a link to the license text.
- Indicate if changes were made.
- Do not imply endorsement by the authors or the journal.
| Reuse scenario | Allowed under CC BY 4.0? | What you must do |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching slides or course packs | Yes | Cite authors, journal, DOI; include “CC BY 4.0”. |
| Translation | Yes | Credit the VoR; note “Translated from …”; link the license. |
| Commercial handbook or app | Yes | Credit + link license; note changes; avoid implying endorsement. |
| Text-and-data mining (TDM) | Yes | Retain attribution; respect privacy/ethics; preserve DOIs. |
How to attribute
Example: “Doe J, Smith R (2025). Laparoscopic approach to X. Archives of Surgery and Clinical Research. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxx. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.”
Exceptions & Alternative Licenses
Occasionally, specific content may require an alternative Creative Commons license (e.g., when a funder mandates a particular license or when third-party material cannot be relicensed under CC BY). Any deviation from CC BY is stated in the article’s license line and in a credit line adjacent to the affected item. If a figure or table is not covered by CC BY, the credit line governs that element; the remainder of the article remains under the default license.
- Third-party content (photos, scales, questionnaires, maps) may carry “All Rights Reserved” or other CC licenses; these require permission if your reuse goes beyond the listed terms.
- Government works may be in the public domain in some jurisdictions; the article will provide a clarifying credit line.
- Logos and trademarks are excluded from CC licensing and remain the property of their respective owners.
Credit Lines & Permissions
Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reuse third-party materials that are not covered by the article’s license. Every third-party item must include a clear credit line specifying the rights holder and applicable restrictions. Use concise, unambiguous wording so readers know what is and is not permitted.
| Item type | Typical credit line format | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Reused figure from a journal | “Figure 2. Reproduced from [Author, Title, Journal, Year] with permission. © Publisher. Not covered by CC BY.” | Attach permission letter; include original DOI if available. |
| Image from a repository under CC BY | “Image © Contributor, licensed CC BY 4.0 (link).” | Retain original CC license and attribution text. |
| Clinical photograph | “Patient image used with written informed consent; identifying features removed.” | Consent and de-identification required. |
| Instrument diagram from manufacturer | “Courtesy of Manufacturer Name; used with permission; All Rights Reserved.” | State any reuse limitations. |
Template — Permission Request Email
Subject: Permission to reuse [Figure/Table/Excerpt] in open-access article (CC BY 4.0)
Dear [Rights Holder],
I request permission to reuse [describe item] in an open-access article to be published in Archives of Surgery and Clinical Research under the CC BY 4.0 license. Full citation and credit line will be provided. Please confirm permission for electronic and print formats, worldwide, in all languages, for the term of copyright. Thank you.
Self-Archiving & Sharing
To maximize access and compliance with funder policies, ASCR supports sharing of:
- Submitted manuscript (preprint): May be posted at any time. Cite the preprint DOI if available.
- Accepted manuscript (AAM): May be deposited in institutional or subject repositories upon acceptance. Label clearly as “Author Accepted Manuscript”.
- Version of record (VoR): May be deposited in repositories and personal/departmental websites upon publication. Always include the DOI, license link, and citation to the VoR.
When updating preprints after peer review, add a link to the VoR so readers can find the definitive version. Repositories should preserve the CC BY 4.0 license notice.
Data & Code Licensing
Datasets and software are first-class research outputs. To support reuse:
- Data: Consider dedicating data to the public domain with CC0, or use CC BY when attribution is required. Ensure de-identification for human data and include access conditions where necessary.
- Code: Use open-source licenses compatible with reuse (e.g., MIT, Apache-2.0, or GPL-3.0). Archive a release and cite the software with a DOI where possible.
- Materials: Provide protocols, bill of materials, and versioned files; specify any hardware or software dependencies.
Trademarks, Logos & Branding
ASCR and publisher logos, icons, and trademarks are not covered by CC BY and may not be used without prior written permission, except for nominative fair use (e.g., citing the journal’s name in a bibliography). Do not imply endorsement or brand affiliation in derivative works.
Takedown & Notices
If you believe material on our site infringes your rights, violates privacy, or is otherwise unlawful, please contact the editorial office with:
- The DOI or URL of the item and a description of the alleged issue.
- Your contact information and relationship to the rights holder.
- Evidence supporting your claim (e.g., registration, permission documentation, or court order).
We will acknowledge receipt, assess the claim, and—where warranted—temporarily restrict access while we investigate. Confirmed issues are resolved through correction, replacement, or removal; where the scholarly record is affected, a formal notice (with DOI) is issued to preserve transparency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I reuse ASCR content commercially?
Yes. CC BY permits commercial reuse, provided you credit the authors and journal, include a license link, and indicate changes. Respect third-party credit lines.
May I include an ASCR figure in a textbook?
Yes, if the figure is covered by CC BY. Include attribution and the license link. If the figure’s credit line indicates different terms, obtain permission from the rights holder.
Do I need to remove watermarks or logos?
No. Do not remove or obscure embedded identifiers, watermarks, or credit lines that communicate authorship and licensing.
Can I post the publisher PDF on my repository?
Yes. The VoR can be deposited on publication. Please include the DOI and CC BY link, and retain metadata fields that aid discovery.
What about images of patients?
Patient images require consent and de-identification. Even under CC BY, ethical standards apply; do not reuse clinical images in ways that could harm or identify patients.
How We Display License & Identifier Metadata
Each article page and PDF displays the license name and link, the article DOI, the journal title and ISSN, and a copyright line naming the authors. We also embed machine-readable metadata (schema.org JSON-LD) and deposit license_url and related fields with DOI registration services. This ensures that indexers and repositories can discover and respect the article’s license automatically.
Permissions & Questions
For permissions that exceed the scope of the posted license, or for questions about third-party material, contact: editorial@clinsurgeryjournal.com (Editorial) or production@clinsurgeryjournal.com (Production).