Freely accessible articles will boost readership, author impact, and ultimately accelerate the pace of animal science progress
Champaign, IL, November 1, 2023—The American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS) and Elsevier are excited to announce that, as of January 2024, Applied Animal Science (AAS) will be transitioning to a 100% gold open access publishing model, meaning all articles will be freely accessible worldwide. The transition marks an important step forward for the journal, delivering numerous long-term benefits to authors, readers, and the field of animal science.
Editor in Chief David K. Beede, PhD, who has been at the helm of the journal for the past six years, expressed his enthusiasm about the transition: “This is a critical achievement for Applied Animal Science, and an appropriate addition to the momentum and growth of the journal, including receiving our first Impact Factor in 2023. By embracing open access, we are ensuring that the critical research and breakthroughs from our authors and reviewers reach a broader and more diverse audience, garners more citations, and ultimately accelerates the pace of animal science research and dissemination of new knowledge and applications for animal science and production systems." With this change, AAS is also lowering the open access publication charge by more than 26% to $1,850 and to $1,480 if at least one author is an active member of ARPAS.”
AAS, published by Elsevier and FASS, Inc., is a leading platform amplifying peer-reviewed, science-based articles about discoveries and pioneering real-world applications to advance animal sciences and production systems for domestic animals. The journal is known in the scientific community for focusing on innovations and technologies that have immediate applications in domestic animal agriculture. As such, the move to open access will provide these vital, timely, and actionable research findings to more readers and practitioners across the globe who can put them into use in the field.
“Applied Animal Science fills a global need to communicate and exchange emerging, refereed science and applications among animal agriculture professionals, animal scientists and researchers, and livestock producers. With the move to open access, we’re making our commitment to animal science and to our community even stronger,” noted Beede.
For more information, please visit our frequently asked questions below.
About Applied Animal Science
Applied Animal Science (AAS) is a peer-reviewed scientific journal and the official publication of the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS). In continuous publication since 1985, AAS is a leading outlet for animal science research and is indexed by Scopus and ESCI (Clarivate’s Emerging Sources Citation Index). The journal welcomes novel manuscripts on applied technology, reviews on the use or application of research-based information on animal agriculture, commentaries on contemporary issues, short communications, and technical notes. Topics that will be considered for publication include (but are not limited to) feed science, farm animal management and production, dairy science, meat science, animal nutrition, reproduction, animal physiology and behavior, disease control and prevention, microbiology, agricultural economics, and environmental issues related to agriculture. Themed special issues also will be considered for publication. www.appliedanimalscience.org
About the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS)
ARPAS is the organization that provides certification of animal scientists through examination, continuing education, and commitment to a code of ethics. Continual improvement of individual members is catalyzed through publications (including the AAS journal) and by providing information on educational opportunities. ARPAS is affiliated with five professional societies: American Dairy Science Association, American Meat Science Association, American Society of Animal Science, Equine Science Society, and Poultry Science Association. www.arpas.org
About FASS Inc.
Since 1998, FASS has provided shared management services to not-for-profit scientific organizations. With combined membership rosters of more than 10,000 professionals in animal agriculture and other sciences, FASS offers clients services in accounting, membership management, convention and meeting planning, information technology, and scientific publication support. The FASS publications department provides journal management, peer-review support, copyediting, and composition for this journal; the staff includes several BELS-certified (www.bels.org) technical editors and experienced composition staff. www.fass.org
About Elsevier
As a global leader in information and analytics, Elsevier helps researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society. We do this by facilitating insights and critical decision-making for customers across the global research and health ecosystems.
In everything we publish, we uphold the highest standards of quality and integrity. We bring that same rigor to our information analytics solutions for researchers, health professionals, institutions, and funders.
Elsevier employs 8,700 people worldwide. We have supported the work of our research and health partners for more than 140 years. Growing from our roots in publishing, we offer knowledge and valuable analytics that help our users make breakthroughs and drive societal progress. Digital solutions such as ScienceDirect, Scopus, SciVal, ClinicalKey and Sherpath support strategic research management, R&D performance, clinical decision support, and health education. Researchers and healthcare professionals rely on over 2,800 digitized journals, including The Lancet and Cell; our 46,000+ eBook titles; and our iconic reference works, such as Gray's Anatomy. With the Elsevier Foundation and our external Inclusion & Diversity Advisory Board, we work in partnership with diverse stakeholders to advance inclusion and diversity in science, research, and healthcare in developing countries and around the world.
Elsevier is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. www.elsevier.com
Applied Animal Science Open Access FAQ
For Authors
Will I retain the copyright for my AAS article?
Yes, authors have a choice of license options and retain the copyright for their published work.
What’s the cost to publish an open access AAS article? Am I eligible for a discounted article page charge as a member of ARPAS?
With this change, AAS is lowering the cost to publish open access articles. The open access fee for an AAS article is $1,850, and if at least one author of your article is an active member of ARPAS the fee is reduced to $1,480. These new, more competitive costs are more than 26% lower than before!
If I submitted a manuscript to AAS before the flip to open access under the subscription model, will my cost change if accepted?
As part of the transition, manuscripts submitted before December 1, 2023, will be eligible for a one-time publication cost of $1,000. Manuscripts submitted on or after December 1, 2023, will incur the new open access article publishing charges.
Will the journal’s transition to open access impact how quickly my article is published?
There will be no effect on timetables for publishing in AAS.
What impact will publishing open access have on the readership and citations of my article?
When you publish open access, your scholarly work gets more exposure to the widest audience possible. Open access ensures that anyone can discover, read, download, share, and cite your work—driving the overall impact of your scholarly work higher.
For Readers
What issue will the open access transition take effect?
The February 2024 issue will be the initial full gold open access issue of the journal.
How can I access open access Applied Animal Science articles?
All articles published gold open access will be immediately and permanently free for everyone to read and download at appliedanimalscience.org and on Science Direct.
Are all articles in the journal archives transitioning to open access?
Yes, all archive articles will begin to transition to being freely available beginning January 1, 2024, and our full article library should be open access by April 1, 2024.
For Libraries and Institutions
What will happen to current library and institution subscriptions when Applied Animal Science flips to an open access publishing model?
Elsevier will be renegotiating contracts with these libraries and institutions on an individual basis.