Fees
Some journals require authors or their institutions to pay fees, commonly referred to as Article Processing Charges (APCs), for publishing academic works—especially in open access (OA) journals. Similarly, some book publishers charge Book Processing Charges (BPCs) for open access publication of academic books. These fees cover the costs associated with publishing an article in an open access format, which can include:
- Article production and editing
- Online hosting and distribution
- Marketing and promotion
- Editorial and peer review management
Some open-access and non-open-access journals also have page charges and colour charges.
The amount of fee charged can vary widely depending on the journal or publisher’s business model, operational costs.
Journals and publishers should be very clear about any APCs or BPCs they charge, including the amount, what they cover, when payment is expected, who administers the process, and who is responsible for ensuring the payment is made. Decisions about income from fees should also be kept separate from editorial decision-making. This ensures that authors are treated fairly and equitably. Fees should not penalise or give preference to particular groups of authors.
Waivers
Many open access journals operate fee waiver schemes for authors from low or lower-middle income countries. Waivers can be total or partial, but in both cases, the details of the waiver scheme and how waivers are granted, assessed, and administered, should be clear to authors at the time of submission.
Waivers should be applied fairly and impartially, and be separate from editorial decisions about the quality of the article. They should not offer incentives to particular groups of authors over others, or incentives to make unethical decisions about authorship or claiming affiliations to qualify for a fee reduction.
Financial support
Some institutions provide guidance to researchers on open access policies, compliance, and available funding. To find out what resources are available, visit your institutional library website.