Publication Process

Apart from monographs, textbooks, and teaching materials, this typically includes articles in scholarly journals. The publication process for academic articles, however, comes with a number of uncertainties and specific terms. This page is intended to help you navigate this topic and clarify the established terminology related to publishing in academic journals.

Selecting an appropriate journal

One of the basic prerequisites for publishing is having an overview of the field and of internationally recognized journals that are essential to it. However, the process of selecting a suitable journal for a specific article may involve a large number of variables. Among others, these may include:

  • Prestige – insight into the recognition and prestige of different journals can be gained primarily through consultation with colleagues, by checking journal rankings, citation rates, etc.
  • Scientometric evaluation – metrics such as IF, AIS, or SJR and their quartile rankings. Also altmetrics on scholarly social networks.
  • Subject scope of the journal – how narrowly or broadly the journal is defined in terms of disciplinary focus.
  • National/cultural/institutional scope – how narrowly or broadly the journal is geographically or culturally oriented.
  • Publication conditions – acceptance policy, peer-review process, license agreements, etc.
  • And lastly, the requirements of the funding provider, if the article is an output of a project supported by external entities.

Publisher policies

Before deciding in which academic journal you would like to publish, it is essential to carefully study the journal’s (or sometimes the publisher’s) website, especially the section intended for authors (Author Guidelines / Instructions for Authors, etc.).

Apart from the procedure for submitting a manuscript to peer review, the formal and other requirements your article must meet, and the citation style the journal uses, you should also find information on the licensing conditions that will apply to your article from submission until publication. This includes options for open access publishing and any associated fees; the composition of the editorial board and other advisors or editors who will evaluate your article during the peer-review process; and much more.

These requirements may significantly influence the choice of journal. Author guidelines in many journals are detailed and specific, and they are strictly enforced during the review process—therefore it pays to know what to expect in advance.

Conditions for article accessibility

Each publisher can define the licenses under which its journals are made available, which determines what rights the author retains regarding further distribution. Generally, two main approaches are used:

  • The article is published traditionally in the journal, and its access for readers is paid (via journal subscription, database subscription, or a one-time article fee).
  • The article is published with an open access (OA) status and is therefore freely accessible to the public after publication. However, this is often associated with article processing charges (APCs). If you choose open access, you will likely have to pay for publication.

Journals and publishers use various combinations of these approaches. Some are fully OA or fully subscription-based. Many have adopted a hybrid model, in which only a portion of their articles is published open access. Another common model is making the article open access after an embargo period.

The form of accessibility may also be required by institutions or grants under which your article is published. For example, under the European Horizon Europe program, grant recipients are required to publish their results in open access.

Peer review

One of the conditions for publishing an article in a scholarly journal is that it must undergo peer review. This is a process of evaluating the article both academically and formally.

The duration of peer review varies widely by journal. Publishers should provide at least an approximate estimate on their websites. In general, extremely short review times (within days) may indicate that the journal is potentially predatory. Standard review times range from several months to even several years in cases involving multiple revisions.

Common types of peer review include:

  • Double-blind peer review – both parties remain anonymous (reviewers do not know the author’s identity, and vice versa).
  • Single-blind peer review – reviewers remain anonymous, but they know the author’s identity.
  • Open peer review – one of the approaches of open science; the level of openness is determined by the journal. Identities of both sides may be known, review reports may be published, the entire process may be transparent, or comments on preprints may be public. Only a minority of journals use this model.

Although the identities of specific reviewers are usually not disclosed, publishers should publish a complete list of reviewers they collaborate with, allowing you to form at least a general idea of the experts who may evaluate your manuscript.

Article versions during the publication process

Preprint

A version of the article that has not yet undergone peer review but has already been shared in some electronic form. Preprints are sometimes referred to as the Author’s Original Manuscript (AOM). They are typical in fields where waiting for peer review would significantly slow down scientific progress. Posting preprints through preprint servers is becoming increasingly common for self-promotion and is encouraged in open science.

The best-known preprint server is ArXiv, or SocArXiv. Some preprint servers establish partnerships with specific publishers or are run directly by them.

Preprints are typically uploaded by authors themselves, since they still hold copyright. However, if you intend to publish the article in a scholarly journal, it is advisable to check the journal’s policy on preprints beforehand. Each journal may have different rules, and in extreme cases, your article may be rejected simply because it has already been shared as a preprint.

Author’s Accepted Manuscript (AAM) / postprint

This term usually refers to the peer-reviewed version of the article that has been accepted for publication in a journal. It may include reviewer comments but does not yet contain publisher formatting (pagination, typesetting, design elements). The exact definition of AAM may differ between publishers. Sharing the AAM is strictly regulated by license agreements or journal policies and must be checked carefully before posting.

The AAM is often referred to as a postprint, but the definitions of individual versions always depend on the specific publisher.

Version of Record (VOR) / publisher’s version

The electronic version of an article that has completed peer review and has been published in a scholarly journal. This includes the final typeset version with all logos, headers, footers, publisher information, DOI, volume/issue, and page numbers. Various names may be used, but the most common is Version of Record (VOR).

Publishers control the distribution rights of the VOR, and authors must follow license agreements. Publisher policies on sharing postprints and VORs can typically be found on their websites or in the Sherpa Romeo database.