Open access fee
nounPronunciation: /ˈoʊpən ˈæksɛs fiː/
A publication charge paid by authors or their institutions to make an article freely available to all readers immediately upon publication. This fee supports the journal's operational costs when revenue from subscriptions is eliminated for that article.
Plain English
A fee authors pay so their published article can be read for free by anyone online.
Etymology & History
Usage
"The open access fee for this journal is $2,500, but many researchers' grants include publication budgets to cover this cost."
Style guide notes: Use 'open access fee' or 'APC' interchangeably; specify amount in USD or target currency when mentioning specific journals.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are open access fees mandatory for all authors?
No; some journals offer hybrid models allowing both open access and subscription options, and some waive fees for authors with financial hardship.
What do open access fees typically cover?
Online hosting, peer review management, copyediting, typesetting, and long-term archival storage of published articles.
Why Test Candidates on This?
Essential for understanding contemporary publishing economics, author responsibilities, and accessibility models in academic journals.
Required skill level: Mid