Updated May 6, 2024

FAQs about AAI/Oxford University Press publishing partnership, April 2024

The American Association of Immunologists (AAI) is excited to announce that it will partner with Oxford University Press (OUP) to produce its two journals, The Journal of Immunology and ImmunoHorizons, beginning January 2025. This FAQ page will help address important questions to our members and authors regarding the many benefits this partnership can bring to the journals and AAI.

AAI and OUP will be hosting an informational webinar in November, date to be announced soon. 

The Fundamentals

Who is Oxford University Press?

OUP is a non-profit organization and department of the University of Oxford. OUP publishes more than 500 academic and research journals covering a broad range of subject areas, three-quarters of which are published in collaboration with learned societies and other international organizations. OUP has been publishing journals for more than a century and, as the world’s largest university press, has more than 500 years of publishing expertise.

Why is AAI partnering with a publisher?

For many decades, AAI journals have been self-published. Partnering with Oxford University Press (OUP) is a strategic collaboration that will elevate the ability of the journals –  and the Association – to serve the immunology community by providing access to cutting-edge tools that will help empower authors to communicate their research more effectively, enhance the discovery of their research, and provide an improved reader experience. 

What stays the same?

• AAI retains full ownership of the journals. The partnership agreement only pertains to production, distribution, and marketing of the AAI journals.
• AAI retains full control over editorial content and decisions. This includes peer review, editorial strategy, editorial board management and oversight.

What are the benefits of a publishing partnership to AAI?

The partnership with OUP will broaden the reach of AAI’s journals and make their high-quality content accessible to more than 1,000 academic institutions via existing subscription agreements. 

The Journal of Immunology and ImmunoHorizons

What are the benefits for authors?

• Fast publication:
  
  • Version of Record publication: within 20 working days of receipt of complete files for standard publication models.
  • Continuous Publication issue model: articles are published into an “open” issue as they are completed
• Format-free initial submissions
• Professional language editing service available
• Video, graphical abstract, and scientific illustration service development available
• Author sharing link: a free-access article permalink, for authors to share their work with colleagues
• Free resources on SEO (search engine optimization), sharing their work, and social media best practices
• Real-time article metrics help authors demonstrate the reach and impact of their work to funders

Benefits for reviewers:

• Best practices for fraud detection, including plagiarism checking service
• Journals are members of Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)

What will change for authors, reviewers, editors, and readers?  

Currently, The Journal of Immunology and ImmunoHorizons use a submission and review system called  eJournal press. During late 2024, submission and peer review will migrate to ScholarOne. Authors and reviewers can access manuscripts under review and /or in revision throughout the transition. Additional resources will be made available for authors seeking assistance with the new submission system.

Where will the journals be hosted online?

AAI journals will be hosted on the Oxford Academic Silverchair platform.

Will my subscription to The Journal of Immunology be maintained?

Yes, subscribers and AAI members will continue to receive access to full online content of The Journal of Immunology. Those who wish to purchase print copies of The JI may do so through AAI. More details will be made available later.

Are there any other benefits for AAI members?

Yes, AAI members will receive discounts on both page fees and article processing charges (APCs) on their article submissions.

Will the migration to a new platform impact the citations of my paper, and will the DOI or URL change?

No, the migration of production operations to OUP will not affect citations to your work, and the article DOIs will remain the same.  OUP will set up redirects from current uniform resource locators (URLs) to new URLs on the Oxford Academic platform, preserving the functionality of existing reader bookmarks. In addition, copies of all articles published in The Journal of Immunology and ImmunoHorizons will continue to be available through PubMed Central (PMC) and Europe PMC.

Information for librarians

Will The JI and ImmunoHorizons be bundled with other journals sold by OUP, and will it become more difficult for libraries to purchase access?

No, there are many different models via which any given institution might purchase access, including the capacity to purchase AAI journals independent of other OUP offers. Librarians will be able to select an option that best fits their needs, making it easier for companies and institutions to acquire access to the journal content.

Check back for more updates!