Waiver Policy
The Archives of Surgery and Clinical Research (ASCR; ISSN: 2576-9537) is committed to equitable participation in open access publishing. Authors who face genuine financial barriers may request a waiver or discount of Article Processing Charges (APCs). Editorial decisions are based solely on scientific merit and policy compliance, independent of payment ability.
Principles & Objectives
Open access advances surgical knowledge when authors from all settings can publish rigorously reviewed work without undue financial barriers. Our waiver policy aims to remove cost as a barrier while sustaining quality editorial and preservation services. The policy is designed to be transparent, fair, respectful, and consistent with community expectations for open access journals.
We commit to
- Evaluating requests confidentially and independently from editorial decisions.
- Prioritizing need-based waivers for authors lacking dedicated publication funds.
- Recognizing contributions to the community (e.g., reviewers, special issue editors) with fee support where appropriate.
- Aligning geographic criteria with widely used classifications of country income groups.
- Documenting outcomes clearly on invoices and receipts where a waiver or discount applies.
Eligibility
Authors may request a full or partial waiver. Typical eligibility categories include:
Need-based
- Corresponding author has no grant or institutional funds earmarked for publishing charges.
- Early-career teams and trainees without access to sponsored funds.
- Independent researchers or clinicians submitting outside funded projects.
Geographic
- Authors affiliated in low- or lower-middle-income economies, based on reputable global income classifications updated annually.
- Institutions facing acute economic or disaster-related disruptions affecting research financing.
Contribution-based recognition
- Substantial service as a peer reviewer for ASCR over the past 12 months (e.g., multiple timely, high-quality reviews).
- Special Issue editorial service or invited article contributions for thematic collections.
- Community resources shared with the journal (e.g., open datasets, methodological tools) that support our mission.
Important: Eligibility does not guarantee a specific waiver level. Decisions are case-by-case and depend on available funds and the nature of the request.
What Waivers Cover (and Don’t)
- Covered: APCs charged after acceptance for editorial production, DOI registration, hosting, indexing exposure, and preservation.
- Not covered: Third-party bank/wire fees, taxes, or optional services such as extensive language editing or custom graphics, when requested.
- Never contingent: The presence, absence, or size of a waiver has no bearing on editorial outcomes.
How to Apply
- Timing: Request at submission (preferred) or during revision, before acceptance and invoicing.
- Channel: Use the waiver request field in the submission system or email [email protected] with your manuscript ID.
- Information to include:
- Manuscript title and ID; article type.
- Corresponding author’s affiliation and country; co-author affiliations.
- Funding status (grants, departmental support, personal funds) and any constraints.
- Requested level of support (full or partial) and brief justification.
- Optional documentation (e.g., letter from department or funder stating lack of APC funds).
- Conflicts & integrity: Disclose any relationships that could appear to influence the request (e.g., you recently reviewed for ASCR).
- Acknowledgment: You will receive confirmation that your request is under review; decisions are communicated by email and recorded on the invoice if the paper is accepted.
Sample email
Subject: Waiver request – ASCR-[ArticleType]-[ShortTitle] – Manuscript ID [ID]
Body: We request a [full/partial] waiver due to [brief reason]. We have no dedicated publishing funds and our institution [brief context]. Affiliation country: [Country]. We understand editorial decisions are independent of payment ability.
Decision Criteria & Process
Requests are evaluated by editorial administration and, where needed, the publisher’s billing team. Scientific editors and peer reviewers are not involved. We consider:
| Criterion | Examples of supporting details |
|---|---|
| Funding availability | No grant allocation for APCs; funder terms exclude APCs; unfunded pilot or quality improvement study. |
| Affiliation context | Institution without centralized APC funding; department policy confirming lack of funds; regional constraints. |
| Geography | Affiliation in a low- or lower-middle-income economy according to broadly recognized classifications updated annually. |
| Career stage | Student/trainee, early-career PI, clinician-researcher without external funding. |
| Community service | Recent high-quality reviewing or editorial contributions to ASCR. |
Timeline: We aim to provide an initial response within the editorial screening window for your submission. If information is missing, you may be asked to provide clarification.
Privacy: Waiver applications are treated confidentially. Details are used solely for assessing eligibility and for audit of waiver budgets.
Interaction with Acceptance, Invoicing & Refunds
- Invoices are issued after acceptance. Approved waivers/discounts are reflected on the first invoice.
- If a waiver decision is pending at acceptance, production may wait for a billing update. Communicate promptly to avoid delays.
- Refunds for duplicate or erroneous payments follow the Refund Policy. Waivers do not generate refunds unless an overpayment occurred.
- Withdrawal after acceptance is handled under the Withdrawal Policy; administrative fees may apply based on the stage of production.
Institutional & Funder Arrangements
Libraries, departments, and funders may establish centralized support for APCs or agreements covering a portion of fees for accepted ASCR articles. Institutions can:
- Designate a contact to receive invoices and manage purchase orders.
- Pre-approve waiver top-ups for unfunded authors in specific programs.
- Share guidance for authors to route APC requests efficiently.
Administrators may contact [email protected] to set up streamlined workflows and reporting.
Special Situations
Special Issues
Guest Editors and Special Issue editorial teams may have distinct support arrangements. Invitations or call-for-papers pages will state any applicable discounts or waivers associated with the collection.
Reviewer recognition
Active, timely peer reviewers may receive discount vouchers as a thank-you for service. Vouchers are not transferable unless explicitly stated and must be applied prior to invoicing.
Examples & Scenarios
Unfunded trainee project
A surgical resident submits a quality improvement study with no grant support. The department confirms that no APC funds are available. A partial waiver is approved and reflected on the invoice upon acceptance.
Low-income economy affiliation
A clinician-researcher affiliated in a low-income economy requests a full waiver at submission. The request is granted, and an acceptance invoice shows a 100% waiver with zero balance due.
Reviewer voucher
An author has completed multiple high-quality reviews for ASCR in the past year. A discount voucher is applied to the APC after acceptance, with the remainder billed to the author’s institution.
Late request after acceptance
An author requests a waiver after the invoice is issued. The billing team reviews the case; if approved, a revised invoice or partial credit is issued before production proceeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to list personal financial details?
No. We ask only for information necessary to understand funding constraints (e.g., lack of grant or institutional APC budgets). Optional documentation can be provided if available.
Will a waiver request affect the editorial decision?
Never. Editorial decisions are strictly independent of financial considerations.
Can co-authors from high-income institutions still request a waiver?
Yes, when the project lacks APC funding across the team or the corresponding author’s institution cannot support APCs. Explain the team’s funding context in your request.
What level of support might be granted?
Support may be full or partial depending on need, available funds, and any relevant institutional arrangements.
How will I know the outcome?
You will receive an email decision. If approved, the waiver/discount appears on the invoice after acceptance.
Are there special provisions for Special Issues?
Yes. Some Special Issues and editorial roles carry specific discounts or waivers, as stated in the call-for-papers or invitation.
Contact
Waiver requests and billing questions: [email protected] (requests) · [email protected] (invoices)