version of record
phrasePronunciation: /ˈvɜːrʒən ʌv ˈrekɔːrd/
Also written as: VoR
The final, authoritative version of a scholarly article as published by the publisher after completing the editorial and production process.
Full Definition
The version of record represents the definitive, citable version of a scholarly publication that has undergone complete editorial review, copyediting, formatting, and production processes. It includes final pagination, volume and issue numbers, and represents the official published form that should be cited in academic work. This version supersedes all previous drafts, preprints, and author manuscripts in terms of scholarly authority and citation purposes.
Plain English
The final, official published version of a research article that appears in a journal, which is the version that should be quoted and referenced by other researchers.
In Editorial Context
The culminating output of the editorial process representing the publisher's final, production-ready version that has completed all editorial interventions and quality control measures.
Etymology & History
Emerged with digital publishing to distinguish the final published version from various electronic drafts and preprints circulating online.
Originally used primarily in legal contexts, adopted by academic publishing to clarify version hierarchy in digital environments.
Usage
"The institutional repository links to the version of record hosted on the publisher's platform to ensure accurate citation."
Usage note: Should not be confused with accepted manuscripts or author's final versions, which lack final publisher formatting.
Context: scholarly publishing, digital repositories, citation practices, copyright discussions
Region: international
Also known as
Contrasted with
Don't confuse with
Often confused with accepted manuscripts, but version of record includes final publisher formatting and production elements.