Last updated: April 2026 · 8 min read · Audience: Authors, students, early-career researchers · Reading level: Introductory
Introduction
Academic publishing looks like a single system but actually consists of multiple interlocking layers: editorial (the journal's role), discoverability (the indexing services' role), citation infrastructure (Crossref's role), author identification (ORCID's role), and preservation (repositories' role). Understanding how the layers fit together helps authors navigate the system more effectively.
This page describes the global infrastructure. Specific regional variation (China's CSCD, Korea's KCI, Brazil's SciELO) builds on this infrastructure rather than replacing it.
The five layers
| Layer | Role | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Journals | Editorial selection, peer review, publication | Disciplinary, multidisciplinary, regional |
| Crossref | Persistent DOI assignment for citation | Single global registry |
| Indexing databases | Discoverability through curated databases | Scopus, WoS, DOAJ, PubMed, regional indexes |
| ORCID | Author identification across institutions | Single global registry |
| Repositories | Preprint hosting and institutional preservation | arXiv, SSRN, bioRxiv, institutional repositories |
Regional variation within the global system
Regional indexing databases (SciELO in Latin America, KCI in Korea, CSCD in China, J-Stage in Japan) supplement the global indexes for regional discoverability. Reputable regional journals are often indexed in both regional and global databases. The two layers complement each other; one does not replace the other.
Author conventions vary by region (name order, affiliation formatting, language editing expectations), but the underlying publication infrastructure is the same regardless of where the author or journal is based.
How a paper's identity is established
Decision guidance
Authors should establish ORCID early (it is free and persistent), use Crossref DOIs as the primary identifier when citing, and verify journal indexing in both global and regional databases relevant to the audience. The infrastructure is global; the use of it should be deliberate.
Example scenarios
Scenario: a master's student establishing a publication record
First-time authors should register ORCID before submitting their first paper. The identifier follows the author across institutions, name changes, and decades. Submission systems increasingly require ORCID as a default field.
Scenario: a PhD researcher publishing across regions
Researchers with both regional and global audiences should target journals indexed in both regional and global databases. The article reaches both communities; the dual indexing improves citation reach within each.
Scenario: an early-career researcher checking journal credibility
Verifying a journal's standing involves checking the indexing layers: DOAJ for open-access verification, Scopus or Web of Science for indexing, and Crossref for DOI assignment. A journal that fails all three is unverifiable through the global infrastructure and should be treated cautiously.
What to do next
If you do not have an ORCID, register one (it takes five minutes and is free). For a current submission, verify the target journal's indexing across the relevant databases. Authors targeting EP Journals Group venues can use the central submission form.
Frequently asked questions
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Related reading and next steps
- Submission portal — Submit a manuscript through the central form
- Journals list — Six peer-reviewed journals across disciplines
- What is indexing in journals
- How to check journal legitimacy
- Indexed vs non-indexed
- Publishing in engineering
Editorial enquiries
Questions about this guide or about preparing a manuscript for submission may be directed to the editorial office. Where a query relates to a specific journal in the portfolio, please indicate the journal abbreviation in your message.
Email: editor@ep-journals.org