An overview of the subscription-based, open-access, hybrid, transformative and diamond open-access publishing models used across the journals published by JournalsPub.

Applies to all journals published by JournalsPub.

Which model applies to a journal. Scopus and Web of Science do not require a journal to adopt one particular commercial publishing model; what matters is that a journal states its actual access model, publication charges, copyright and licensing arrangements, peer-review process and publication practices clearly and consistently. Each journal states the model it operates on its page, in its author guidelines and in its copyright and licensing statement, and the description below applies to a journal only to the extent that it reflects that model. Journals in the portfolio are at different stages of indexing: for example, the Journal of Polymer & Composites is indexed in Web of Science, while others are preparing applications.

Model 01 • Traditional

Traditional Subscription-Based Publication

Paywalled • Library Access • Generally No APC

Traditional subscription-based publishing is a model in which readers or subscribing institutions pay for access to journal content. Articles are normally available through institutional or individual subscriptions, while full-text access may be restricted for non-subscribers.

Under this model, authors generally do not pay an article processing charge (APC) for standard publication, unless other clearly disclosed publication or optional service charges apply.

Key characteristics:

• Access control: Full-text access to subscription articles is restricted to subscribers or users with authorized institutional access.

• Paywall: Articles may be placed behind a paywall unless the journal makes particular content freely accessible.

• Copyright and licensing: Copyright ownership and reuse rights must be stated clearly in the journal’s copyright and licensing policy.

• Peer review: Manuscripts should undergo the journal’s stated peer-review process before publication.

• Editorial oversight: Editorial decisions should be based on scholarly quality, relevance, originality, integrity, and the documented editorial process.

• Online publication: The journal may publish content online, including as an online-only publication, provided its publication format and ISSN information are clearly stated.

• Subscription terms: Institutional and individual subscription rates, licence terms, and any perpetual-access or post-cancellation access arrangements should be published or made available on request.

• Author self-archiving (green open access): The journal should publish its policy on deposit of the submitted, accepted and/or published version in institutional or subject repositories, including any embargo period, and register the policy in Sherpa Romeo.

Model 02 • Open Access

Open-Access Publication

Free to Read • Global Access • APC May Apply

Open-access publishing makes the published full text of an article freely available to readers without a subscription or paywall. Users can access the article online without paying a subscription fee.

An open-access journal may finance publication through APCs or other clearly disclosed sources of funding. An APC, where applicable, is a publication charge and must not influence editorial decisions.

For transparency and indexing readiness, the journal should clearly state:

• whether an APC applies and the exact amount or applicable pricing structure;

• when an APC becomes payable and whether waivers or discounts are available;

• copyright ownership and the licence under which articles are published; the default licence should be a recognised open licence (e.g., Creative Commons CC BY 4.0), displayed on every article page and embedded in the article PDF and in the DOI (Crossref) metadata;

• any applicable reuse, sharing, or repository rights; and

• the peer-review and editorial decision-making process.

• the long-term digital preservation arrangement for all published content (e.g., CLOCKSS, LOCKSS, Portico, PKP Preservation Network, or a national legal-deposit library) and, where applicable, the journal’s DOAJ listing status.

Model 03 • Hybrid

Hybrid Publication

Mixed Model • Optional Open Access • Flexible Access

Hybrid publishing combines subscription-based access with an option for individual articles to be published open access. The journal continues to publish subscription content, while eligible authors may choose open access for their article under the journal’s stated terms.

Where an open-access option is offered, the journal should transparently disclose the applicable APC, licensing terms, eligibility conditions, and the point at which the charge becomes payable. Payment of an APC must not affect peer review or editorial decisions.

Each journal’s website wording should describe the actual model in operation. A journal should describe itself as hybrid only where it currently publishes both subscription and open-access articles under published terms, and this description should be reviewed against the journal’s website and publishing practice before use.

Hybrid journals should label each article as “Open Access” or “Subscription” on the article page and in metadata, and should publish a statement explaining how subscription pricing takes account of open-access content so that institutions are not charged twice (“no double dipping”).

Model 04 • Transformative

Transformative Publishing Agreements

Transition to Open Access • Institutional Agreements • Read-and-Publish / Publish-and-Read

Transformative agreements are arrangements between publishers and institutions or consortia intended to shift expenditure and publishing activity from subscription access toward open-access publishing.

Depending on the agreement, participating institutions may receive reading access to subscription content and/or support for publishing eligible articles open access. The precise eligibility, article types, participating institutions, fees, and licensing conditions should be stated in the applicable agreement.

A journal should not describe itself as operating under a transformative agreement unless such an agreement is actually in place. Where no such agreement exists, this model should be presented only as a general publishing model and not as a current service of the journal.

Where a transformative agreement is in place, the journal should publish the list of participating institutions/consortia, the eligible article types and licence, and the agreement period, and should register the agreement in the ESAC Transformative Agreement Registry.

Model 05 • Diamond Open Access

Diamond (Platinum) Open-Access Publication

Free to Read • Free to Publish • No APC • Institutionally or Society Funded

Diamond open-access publishing makes all articles freely available to readers immediately on publication and charges authors no article processing or submission fee. Costs are met by the publisher, a learned society, an academic institution, a funder, or a consortium. The journal should state the funding source(s) that sustain publication, confirm that no author-facing charges apply, publish the licence under which articles are released, and describe its peer-review process and preservation arrangement exactly as required for the other models.

Publishing Model Transparency for Scopus and Web of Science Applications

• The journal’s website, article pages, author guidelines, and publication policies should use consistent terminology for the access model.

• Do not claim that the journal is indexed in Scopus or Web of Science until coverage is independently verified in the relevant official database.

• Clearly disclose APCs, taxes where applicable, waivers/discounts, refund conditions, and the stage at which payment is required.

• Clearly state copyright ownership and the applicable publishing licence for each article type.

• Describe the peer-review process accurately and apply it consistently.

• Ensure that the access model stated on the website matches the model actually used for published articles.

• Keep DOI, ISSN, article metadata, publication dates, author information, and licensing information consistent across the journal website and relevant registration records.

• Avoid presenting alternative or unofficial metrics as substitutes for the Clarivate Journal Impact Factor or Scopus CiteScore.

• Display the copyright statement and licence on each article’s HTML page and PDF, and deposit the licence URL and access indicator with the article’s DOI metadata.

• Publish the journal’s policies on preprints and author self-archiving, and keep the Sherpa Romeo record and the ISSN Portal record (title, medium, publisher, URL, frequency, access) aligned with the website.

• State the long-term digital preservation arrangement for the full archive and ensure that back issues remain accessible at stable URLs/DOIs even if the journal changes platform or ceases publication.

• Include a short “Publishing model and charges” summary on the journal home page and Author Guidelines, and require the same summary in the publisher’s journal-level metadata feeds so that aggregators and indexers receive identical information.

Important Editorial Note

The publishing model is a business and access arrangement, not an indexing status. For a Scopus or Web of Science application, the most important requirement is that each journal’s stated publishing model is accurate, transparent, consistently implemented, and supported by its published policies and actual publication records.