Open Access Policy

The Journal of Clinical Nephrology (JCN) is an open-access journal, which means that all published content is freely available without restrictions to researchers, clinicians, educators, and the general public. Our commitment to open access ensures that scientific knowledge in nephrology is widely disseminated and contributes to global advancements in kidney disease research and patient care.

What Does Open Access Mean?

Under the open-access model, JCN provides:

  • Unrestricted access to all published articles, ensuring that knowledge is freely available to all readers.
  • No paywalls, subscriptions, or registration requirements for accessing content.
  • Global dissemination of research to reach a wider audience, including researchers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers.
  • Greater visibility and impact for authors through increased citation and accessibility.

Licensing & Copyright

All articles published in JCN are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This means:

  • Readers can copy, distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon published content, even for commercial purposes.
  • Proper attribution to the original authors and source is required for all reuse.
  • Authors retain full copyright of their work, while granting the journal the right to publish and distribute it.

Benefits of Open Access for Authors

Publishing in an open-access journal like JCN provides authors with significant advantages, including:

  • Increased Visibility: Open access research reaches a broader audience, leading to higher citation rates and greater impact.
  • Global Readership: Researchers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers from all regions can freely access and apply published findings.
  • Rapid Knowledge Transfer: Immediate online availability ensures faster dissemination of research.
  • Long-Term Accessibility: Articles remain permanently available through digital preservation services.

Digital Archiving & Long-Term Preservation

To ensure the permanent accessibility of published research, JCN employs multiple digital preservation strategies, including:

  • LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe): A decentralized archiving system.
  • CLOCKSS (Controlled Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe): Ensures content preservation in trusted digital archives.
  • Portico: A widely recognized digital preservation service.
  • Institutional Repositories: Articles are stored in university and research institution repositories worldwide.

Article Processing Charges (APCs)

To sustain the open-access model, JCN may charge an Article Processing Charge (APC) to cover editorial costs, peer review management, production, and digital preservation. Our APC policies include:

  • Transparency: APC fees are clearly outlined at the time of submission.
  • Waivers & Discounts: Authors from low-income countries or those facing financial hardship may apply for fee waivers or discounts.
  • No Hidden Fees: There are no submission fees or additional costs beyond the stated APC.

For specific APC details, visit our APC Policy Page.

Institutional and Funder Compliance

Many research funders and institutions require that published research be open access. JCN meets compliance standards set by organizations such as:

  • Plan S: Ensuring open-access publishing for publicly funded research.
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH): Supporting free and public access to research outputs.
  • Horizon Europe: Open-access requirements for European research funding.
  • Wellcome Trust, Gates Foundation, and other funders with open-access mandates.

Self-Archiving Policy

JCN allows and encourages authors to self-archive their work. Authors may:

  • Deposit preprints (pre-peer-review versions) on recognized preprint servers.
  • Upload postprints (accepted versions) to institutional or personal repositories.
  • Share the final published version (publisher’s PDF) immediately under the CC BY 4.0 license.

Commitment to Open Science

JCN strongly supports open science and data sharing. Authors are encouraged to:

  • Share datasets and supplementary materials in open repositories.
  • Provide transparency in methodology and reproducibility.
  • Use FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data principles.

Contact for Open Access Inquiries

For questions regarding the open-access policy, licensing, or APC waivers, please contact our editorial office at assistant-jcn@clinnephrologyjournal.com.