Monitoring of Unauthorized Internet Posting of Journal Articles
APA is committed to
- preserving the scientific integrity of the research we publish, including linking the authoritative document with any ensuing corrections or retractions so that readers have the most updated information;
- minimizing security threats to authors and readers by providing a secure web environment to access APA content;
- making APA resources available for free or at low cost in low- and middle-income countries through the World Health Organization's HINARI/Research 4 Lifeopens in new window initiative; and
- maintaining association funds to support APA's mission to create, communicate, and apply psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people's lives.
As part of these efforts, APA is launching a pilot to monitor and seek removal of unauthorized online postings of APA journal articles.
APA authors are able to post the final accepted, pre-formatted versions of their articles — the accepted manuscript — on their personal websites, university repositories, and author networking sites without an embargo.
Our approach and sharing recommendations are described in detail as part of the APA Journals Internet Posting Guidelines.
We welcome and encourage such sharing of scientific research by APA authors. However, any posted manuscripts must include a note linking to the final published article, the authoritative document.
As an example:
© 2016 American Psychological Association. This paper is not the copy of record and may not exactly replicate the authoritative document published in the APA journal. Please do not copy or cite without author's permission. The final article is available, upon publication, at: [ARTICLE DOI]
Including this statement — both in the author's accepted manuscript version and the authoritative document — maintains the integrity of any ensuing commentaries, corrections, and potential retractions, safeguarding the accuracy of the scientific record. It also connects both the accepted manuscript and the authoritative document to related content and citation information.
By including the article's digital object identifier (DOI), readers can access the final article from a secure website, avoiding risks inherent in sites that habitually post materials violating copyright.
Dangers associated with websites and content that are not trusted are a growing problem, as explained in the "Digital Bait" reportopens in new window from the Digital Citizens Allianceopens in new window and Risk IQ.
If you have any questions, or if you would like to refer us to an instance of unauthorized posting of your work, please contact us at APA Journalsopens in new window.