What is an Article Processing Charge?

An Article Processing Charge (APC) is a publication fee that supports the editorial, production, and long-term preservation of scholarly articles.

Unlike subscription-based journals, Open Access journals do not rely on reader subscriptions for revenue. Instead, APCs enable accepted articles to be published online with immediate, unrestricted, and permanent access for researchers, clinicians, educators, and the public worldwide.

Payment of an APC does not influence editorial decisions. Every manuscript is evaluated independently on the basis of scientific quality, originality, ethical standards, and relevance to the Journal.

What Does the APC Cover?

The APC helps support the complete publication process, including:

• Initial manuscript screening and administrative processing.
• Editorial management and coordination.
• Independent peer review administration.
• Scientific and ethical quality checks.
• Copyediting and language formatting.
• Typesetting and XML generation.
• Digital hosting and long-term archiving.
• Assignment of Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs).
• Indexing and abstracting services support.

The APC is the sole financial responsibility of the payer unless otherwise stated.

Payment

The APC becomes payable only after editorial acceptance.

Authors will receive an official invoice with payment instructions once their manuscript has been accepted. Payment may be made using the payment methods approved by the Journal at the time of invoicing.

Waiver Policy

Annals of Surgery is committed to supporting researchers from diverse institutions and regions. Authors who are unable to pay the full APC may request consideration for a full or partial waiver, subject to the Journal's Waiver Policy.

Waiver requests are evaluated individually and independently of the editorial process. Editorial decisions are based solely on scientific merit and are never influenced by an author's ability to pay publication charges.

Transparency and Editorial Independence

The Journal maintains a clear separation between editorial evaluation and financial administration.

• Submission of a manuscript does not require APC payment.
• Payment is requested only after acceptance.
• APC payment does not guarantee publication.
• Editorial decisions are made independently of financial considerations.

This policy helps preserve the integrity, fairness, and independence of the peer review and publication process.

Contact Information

If you have questions regarding Article Processing Charges, invoicing, payment methods, or waiver requests, please contact:

Editorial Office Annals of Surgery (ANNALSOPEN)
Website: www.aosopen.com
Email: info@aosopen.com