The Clinical Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (CJOG) is a fully Gold Open Access journal. To sustain high-quality peer review, professional production, global dissemination, and long-term archiving, CJOG applies a transparent Article Processing Charge (APC) after manuscript acceptance. The APC model ensures that all articles remain freely accessible under the Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license, without subscription barriers, access fees, or paywalls. This page provides a comprehensive breakdown of APC structure, cost justification, value components, and compliance with international open-access standards.

1. APC Structure by Article Type

CJOG uses a clear, standardized APC model across article categories:

Article Type	APC (USD)	Included Services
Research Articles / Review Articles	$2949	Full peer review, professional editing, typesetting, hosting, DOI, indexing
Short Communications / Case Studies	$2949	Peer review, editing, production, metadata assignment
Case Reports / Clinical Trial Reports	$2949	Detailed clinical QC review, production, archiving
Editorials / Commentaries / Opinions	$2949	Editing, formatting, digital hosting

Important: APC is charged only after acceptance and does not influence editorial decisions.

2. Why APCs Are Required (Open Access Sustainability)

As a Gold Open Access journal, CJOG does not charge readers or institutions. Instead, publication costs are supported through APCs, enabling:

Free and unlimited global access to published articles
Repository deposit rights without embargo
Long-term digital preservation
Creative Commons licensing (CC BY 4.0)
Support for indexing systems including Google Scholar and others

This model aligns with:

DOAJ Transparency Principles
Funder open-access mandates (NIH, UKRI, Horizon Europe, Wellcome)
Plan S and Rights Retention Strategy (RRS)

Editorial independence:
APCs are processed only after peer review is complete. Editors and reviewers are not involved in billing or APC determination.

3. What the APC Covers (Detailed Breakdown)

CJOG follows a cost-to-service APC model. The APC contributes to:

3.1 Editorial & Peer Review Management

Initial editorial triage
Plagiarism screening and similarity checks
Reviewer selection and communications
Technical quality screening
Revision monitoring

3.2 Production Services

Copyediting (technical, linguistic, scientific)
Formatting and layout design (PDF + HTML)
Figure & table integration
Metadata embedding (Crossref, Schema.org, JATS XML)
Digital object identification (DOI registration)

3.3 Hosting & Dissemination

OJS platform maintenance
Continuous server uptime
OAI-PMH metadata harvesting
Global indexing and database submissions

3.4 Archiving & Preservation

Portico digital preservation
LOCKSS/CLOCKSS preservation
Multi-server redundancy
Migration to resilient, future-proof formats

3.5 Administrative & Operational Infrastructure

Journal management and staffing
Editorial office communications
Compliance with privacy and legal frameworks (GDPR, CAN-SPAM)
Technical support for authors

No hidden fees: CJOG does not charge for submission, initial screening, color figures, or access/usage.

4. Cost Breakdown (Illustrative Model)

While exact internal allocations vary, APC distribution typically follows this structure:

Component	Percentage Allocation
Editorial and Peer Review Management	38%
Production & Typesetting	22%
Hosting & Platform Maintenance	12%
Indexing, Metadata & DOI Registration	10%
Archiving & Preservation Systems	10%
Administrative & Support Operations	8%

This breakdown illustrates how APCs ensure a robust, sustainable open-access ecosystem.

5. APC and International Open Access Compliance

CJOG fully complies with:

NIH Public Access Policy (PMC deposit)
Plan S and Rights Retention Strategy
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) OA requirements
European Commission Horizon Europe mandates
Gates Foundation Open Access Policy
Wellcome Trust OA requirements

Authors may deposit their accepted manuscripts immediately in any repository.

6. When and How APCs Are Paid

6.1 Timing

APCs are payable only after acceptance and before publication.

6.2 Accepted Payment Methods

Credit/debit cards
Institutional wire transfers
Funding agency payments
University PO-based billing

Institutional payments: CJOG can invoice directly to institutions or funders upon request.

6.3 Sample APC Invoice (Text Example)

INVOICE
Clinical Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (CJOG)
Invoice No: CJOG-APC-2025-1137
Date: 2025-08-14

Manuscript ID: CJOG-24-RA-178
Title: Association of Maternal Age with Cesarean Section Outcomes
Article Type: Research Article
APC Amount: $1849

Payment Due: Within 10 business days of invoice.
License: CC BY 4.0
Contact: [email protected]

7. Examples of APC Scenarios

Scenario	APC Outcome
Accepted Research Article funded by NIH	APC paid via institutional account; paper deposited in PMC
Author from low-income country applies for waiver	Full or partial waiver granted after acceptance review
Author requests withdrawal before acceptance	No APC charged
Article retracted due to publisher error	APC refunded or applied to corrected version
Article retracted due to author misconduct	No refund issued

8. Value Proposition: What Authors Gain

CJOG's APC ensures:

Immediate open-access visibility
Global reach without access barriers
Fast editorial processing (average 2–4 weeks)
High editorial quality
Professional copyediting
Permanent article preservation
Compliance with all major funder mandates
No charges for color figures or online pages

Open-access publishing significantly increases citations, downloads, and global healthcare impact.

9. Editorial Independence Protections

To maintain ethical integrity:

Editors do not know APC status during review.
Reviewers are blind to APC related information.
APCs are processed only after the independent acceptance decision.
APC waivers do not influence editorial outcomes.

No article is judged based on the author’s ability to pay the APC.

10. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is APC charged if a paper is rejected?

No, APC applies only after acceptance.

Can APC be waived?

Yes. Refer to CJOG’s Waiver Policy for full details.

Is APC refundable?

Refer to the Refund Policy. Refunds depend on stage and cause.

Does APC differ for early-career researchers?

Editorial discretion may apply via waivers/discounts.

Are color images free?

Yes, CJOG charges no fees for color figures.

Does APC cover supplementary materials?

Yes, standard supplementary files are included at no extra cost.

Conclusion

CJOG maintains a transparent and ethically grounded APC system aligned with global open-access standards. By carefully detailing what APC covers, how charges are determined, and how they support sustainable scientific communication, this page ensures fairness, clarity, and trust for authors, institutions, and funders.

Article Processing Charges