How do scientific publishers avoid most of the costs?

Scientific publishers are able to avoid most of the costs associated with publishing scientific research by employing a variety of strategies. Firstly, they typically do not bear the costs of conducting the research itself as it is the responsibility of the scientists and institutions undertaking the studies. Additionally, publishers often rely on a peer-review process carried out by volunteers who assess the quality and validity of the research submissions, sparing the publisher the cost of hiring external reviewers. Furthermore, digital platforms have significantly reduced printing and distribution expenses, with the majority of scholarly articles now being accessed electronically. Scientific publishers may also charge a fee to authors for the publication of their work, known as article processing charges (APCs), which helps offset some of the costs. This combination of factors allows scientific publishers to minimize their expenses while still providing a valuable service to the scientific community.

This mind map was published on 27 November 2023 and has been viewed 91 times.