Article Processing Charges Policy
At SMARCONs Publications, we are committed to transparency and ethical publishing practices that are in line with COPE’s Core Practices.
Current Policy
The Journal of Excellence in Social Sciences (JESS) supports the academic community by providing open access to high-quality research. JESS does not charge any Article Processing Charges (APCs) or submission fees to authors for manuscript submission, processing, or publication.
This no-APC policy will remain in place until the journal secures indexing in Scopus or a comparable major indexing database. Authors will be notified of any changes to this policy, and updated APC information will be transparently published on the journal’s website once applicable.
Future Policy Changes
If APCs are introduced in the future, the following transparency measures will be strictly followed:
- Clear Communication: Any introduction of fees will be communicated on each journal’s homepage, author guidelines, and submission portal before implementation.
- Fee Disclosure: The exact amount of any APC, what it covers (e.g., editorial services, online hosting, indexing), and who is responsible for paying it will be published prominently.
- Waivers and Discounts: Eligibility criteria for APC waivers or discounts (e.g., for authors from low-income countries or students) will be clearly stated.
- Timing of Payment: Authors will be informed of any fees at submission or acceptance, never after publication.
- No Impact on Review: The decision to accept or reject a paper will remain entirely independent of the author’s ability or willingness to pay.
- COPE Compliance: Any changes in the fee model will align with COPE’s principles of transparency and best practice for scholarly publishing.
