Article Processing Charges (APC)

Scientific Steps Group publishes open access articles funded by payments for publishing made by authors, their institution or funding bodies, commonly known as Article Publishing Charges (APCs). All of our articles are published under a Creative Commons (CC BY) license.

Our goal is to ensure articles are published as quickly as possible, subject to appropriate quality controls, and widely disseminated.

Where an author has chosen to publish with one of our open access journals, which typically involves the payment of an article publishing charge (APC) by the author, their institution or funding body, we make their article freely available immediately upon publication on our website in perpetuity.

Authors pay a one-time Article Processing Charge (APC) to cover the costs of peer review administration and management, professional production of articles in PDF and other formats, and dissemination of published papers in various venues, in addition to other publishing functions. Please note that the option to process an advance payment remains but does not guarantee acceptance of manuscripts. There are no charges for rejected articles, no submission charges, and no surcharges based on the length of an article, figures or supplementary data.

SSG’s APCs are set on a per journal basis, fees range between approximately $500 and $1200, excluding tax, with prices clearly displayed on our APC price list and on journal homepages.

We set APCs based on the following criteria which are applied to open access articles only:

• Journal quality.
• The journal’s editorial and technical processes.
• Competitive considerations.
• Market conditions.
• Other revenue streams associated with the journal.

Adjustments in SSG’s APCs are under regular review and are subject to change. Any deviations in pricing from SSG’s standard APC price list per journal will be clearly displayed on the journal’s homepage.

SSG has always been transparent about how our APCs are invested. This spirit of transparency is in line with Coalition S for Plan S.

• Journal operations: Our journal teams manage every aspect of journal operations and growth, from editorial board management, to commissioning high-quality content, handling article collections, and supporting our editors.
• Review operations: Our research integrity team checks and sorts research articles for quality, ethics and research integrity. Quality checks are monitored and improved continuously, allowing for improvements as well as automation of processes. Our review operations team ensures that quality standards are adhered to during peer review that the appropriate experts are assigned to the manuscripts, and that editors are supported at every step of the process. They also provide rigorous feedback to the authors so that each stage of the review process advances in an effective and timely manner.
• Publication: Production costs include typesetting and copy-editing, assignment of persistent identifiers, journal indexing, archiving in all relevant academic and national databases, and permanent storage.
• Innovation: We have a relentless focus on technology and innovation to continuously raise the bar for our services and quality standards, make processes simpler and more efficient, and the work of our authors, reviewers, and editors easier. APC income is reinvested in this space to allow for the deployment of new platform tools and services.
• Communications: We support our authors, reviewers, and editors by disseminating and promoting their research through news media, social media, newsletters, article alerts, conferences, and by organizing and sponsoring events.
• General administration: APCs also cover general operations, including human resources and accounting, as well as costs of administrative functions and office rental.
• Inclusive growth: Investment in growth supports new publication initiatives across the academic spectrum. Higher APCs in mature journals subsidize the launch of new journals before they become self-sustainable.
• Honoraria: Chief Editors are awarded honoraria for their work and strictly independent from acceptance decisions.

Scientific Steps Group recognizes the financial challenges faced by authors from developing countries and aims to support their academic contributions. We offer Article Processing Charges (APCs) waivers or discounts to eligible authors who require financial assistance. Here are the details of our APC support for authors from developing countries:

Eligibility Criteria

• Authors affiliated with institutions in developing countries, as defined by the World Bank’s classification of low-income and lower-middle-income economies, are eligible for APC waivers or discounts.
• Proof of affiliation or residency in a developing country may be required during the submission or APC payment process.

Application Process

Authors who require financial assistance to cover the APC can apply for waivers or discounts. The application typically requires the submission of supporting documents, such as a letter of support from the institution or a declaration of financial need.

Evaluation and Decision

• Each application is carefully evaluated by our editorial team to determine eligibility based on the provided criteria.
• The decision regarding APC waivers or discounts is communicated to the authors within a specified timeframe.

APC Waivers or Discounts

• If the application is successful, authors may be granted a full APC waiver, where the publication charges are waived entirely.
• Alternatively, authors may receive a discounted APC, reducing the cost of publication.
• The specific terms and conditions of the APC waiver or discount will be communicated to the authors upon approval.

Additional Support

In addition to APC waivers or discounts, we may provide further support and guidance to authors from developing countries, such as assistance with manuscript preparation, language editing, or other related services.

We encourage authors to contact us through our Contact page or email Info@scientificstepsgroup-ssg.com for any inquiries or further assistance.

Scientific Steps Group is dedicated to fostering global collaboration and inclusivity in academic publishing. We understand the importance of providing support to authors from developing countries, enabling them to share their valuable research with the wider scientific community.

If you have any questions or need further information about our APC support for authors from developing countries, please contact us or email apcsupport@scientificstepsgroup-ssg.com.