Sharing Articles

Last Updated: April 2026

ETFLIN is committed to the rapid and open dissemination of scientific knowledge. As a CC-BY publisher, we recognize authors as the primary copyright holders of their work. Our self-archiving policy is designed to empower authors to share their research at every stage of the publication lifecycle while ensuring the integrity of the "Version of Record."

Self-Archiving Lifecycle

We support the responsible sharing of research through three distinct phases. Understanding these stages helps ensure that your work reaches the widest possible audience while maintaining accurate citation tracking.

Phase 01: The Preprint

A preprint is the version of a manuscript before it has undergone formal peer review. ETFLIN encourages the use of preprint servers (such as bioRxiv, arXiv, or institutional repositories).

  • Authors may deposit their preprint in any repository at any time prior to submission.

  • Manuscripts can be updated to the accepted form as they move through our editorial process.

  • Requirement: Once the article is published, authors are requested to link the preprint to the final version using the Digital Object Identifier (DOI).

Phase 02: The Accepted Manuscript

This version includes all changes made during the peer-review process but has not yet undergone final copyediting, typesetting, or proofing.

  • While sharing is permitted, we generally do not recommend this version for long-term archiving. Metadata and specific content details may still change during the "Galley Proof" stage.

  • Requirement: Mandatory attribution via the final DOI link is required to ensure readers can find the definitive version. No self-modifications should be made to the version shared at this stage.

Phase 03: The Published Article (Version of Record)

This is the final, copyedited, and typeset version as it appears in the journal.

  • We fully support the wide dissemination of this final version across personal websites, institutional repositories, and social networks.

  • Recommendation: Always use the DOI link when sharing. This ensures that citations and usage metrics (like downloads and views) are accurately aggregated and attributed to your work.

Special Considerations for Data and Commercial Use

While our CC-BY licensing allows for broad reuse, authors should be mindful of Special Considerations involving third parties. Matters regarding potential conflicts of interest or the commercial use of specific datasets should be discussed and communicated jointly with the corresponding author and any relevant funding bodies.

Furthermore, ETFLIN provides support for long-term digital preservation. In addition to author self-archiving, we ensure that all published articles are deposited in permanent digital archives. This multi-layered approach ensures that your research remains accessible to the global community even in the event of unforeseen technical disruptions.