page charge
nounPronunciation: /peɪdʒ tʃɑːrdʒ/
Also written as: PC
A fee charged to authors or their institutions for publishing their accepted manuscript in a journal. These charges typically cover production costs and may vary based on article length, color figures, or open access requirements.
Full Definition
Page charges, also known as publication fees, are monetary fees levied by academic journals on authors or their sponsoring institutions following manuscript acceptance and prior to publication. These charges are intended to offset the costs associated with manuscript production, including editing, formatting, typesetting, and distribution. Page charges may be calculated per printed page, as a flat fee per article, or based on specific elements such as color illustrations, supplementary materials, or open access publishing. The practice varies significantly across disciplines, with some fields having well-established page charge traditions while others operate on subscription-based models. Many funding agencies now include publication costs in research grant allocations.
Plain English
Money that authors have to pay to a journal to get their accepted research paper published, similar to paying a printing fee.
In Editorial Context
A revenue mechanism that shifts publication costs from subscribers to authors, enabling journals to maintain operations while potentially supporting open access models and improved production quality.
Etymology & History
Emerged as academic publishing costs increased and journals sought sustainable funding models beyond subscriptions, particularly in scientific disciplines with high production costs.
Initially controversial but became accepted practice in many fields, especially with the rise of open access publishing models.
Usage
"The journal's page charge of $150 per printed page will be invoiced to the corresponding author's institution upon final acceptance."
Usage note: Policies should be clearly communicated before submission, and fee waivers may be available for authors from low-resource institutions.
Context: Author correspondence, budget planning, publication agreements, institutional publishing policies
Region: international
Also known as
Contrasted with
Don't confuse with
Often confused with submission fees, but page charges are paid after acceptance while submission fees are paid upfront.