Last updated: April 2026 · 8 min read · Audience: Authors, students, early-career researchers · Reading level: Introductory
Introduction
Academic publishing is the formal mechanism by which research becomes part of the scholarly record. The mechanism has evolved substantially over the past two decades, primarily through the growth of open access, the move from print to online, and the rise of indexing as the dominant discoverability layer.
This page describes the system as it operates now. It does not advocate for one model or another; both produce serious peer-reviewed work, and both face genuine challenges.
How the system fits together
| Component | Role |
|---|---|
| Journals | Editorial selection, peer review, copy-editing, publication |
| Peer reviewers | Quality control through volunteer review |
| Indexing services | Discoverability through databases (Scopus, Web of Science, DOAJ, etc.) |
| Crossref | Persistent DOI infrastructure for citation |
| Repositories | Preprints (arXiv, SSRN, bioRxiv) and institutional archives |
| Authors | Submit, revise, often pay APCs in open access |
| Readers | Access via subscription, open-access, or repositories |
The two dominant models
Subscription publishing remains the dominant model in many established disciplines. Authors pay nothing; readers (or their institutions) pay through journal subscriptions. Open-access publishing has grown rapidly since around 2010 and is now the dominant model for new journals; authors pay article processing charges, readers access for free.
Many journals are now hybrid (subscription with optional open-access for individual articles) or transformative (transitioning toward open-access). The distinction is becoming less binary as publishers adapt to funder mandates.
Pressures on the system
Other pressures include reviewer burnout (reviewers volunteer and the volume of submissions has grown), the rise of predatory journals exploiting the open-access model, and concerns about reproducibility across fields.
Decision guidance
Authors choosing where to publish should evaluate the journal on its substantive features (peer review, indexing, scope fit) rather than on the cost model alone. Both subscription and credible open-access journals produce useful publication records; the right choice depends on the work's audience and the author's resources.
Example scenarios
Scenario: a master's student weighing model options
Students choosing between a paywalled journal in their field and a low-APC open-access journal usually find the paywalled option cheaper (no APC) but the open-access option more visible to non-academic readers. Either is acceptable; the decision should follow the audience, not a generic preference for one model.
Scenario: a PhD researcher publishing across regions
Researchers whose work has international audiences benefit more from open access than those whose audience is concentrated in well-resourced institutions. Reader access matters most where institutional subscriptions are uneven.
Scenario: an early-career researcher tracking trends
Tracking the field's direction helps with longer-term decisions. Funder mandates, transformative agreements, and emerging publication infrastructure (preprints, registered reports) all shape where credible publishing is heading. Reading 1–2 high-quality industry analyses per year is enough to stay informed.
What to do next
For a current submission: pick a journal on substantive merit (scope, peer review, indexing) rather than model preference. For longer-term thinking: read about open-access mandates and transformative agreements at your institution. Authors targeting EP Journals Group venues can use the central submission form.
Frequently asked questions
Related topics across the knowledge centre
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Low-Cost Research Journals
Low-cost journals span subscription venues with no author fee, diamond open-access journals fully subsidised by institutions, and open-access journals with modest APCs. Verifying credibility matters more than the headline number.
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How to Publish a Research Paper in Law
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Journals for Students: Where to Publish Early Research
Students are typically best served by open-access journals that maintain transparent peer review, modest article processing charges (APCs), and clearly documented timelines.
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Journals for Multidisciplinary Research
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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
- How to publish a research paper
- Understanding open access
- Open access vs subscription
- 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