Q: Does the embargo period affect being indexed?
Embargo has to do with access, more specifically, with the time lag between the date on which an article is formally published and the date on which it can be accessed by readers. The duration of the lag (12 months, 12 months until the publication of the next issue, and so on) varies and is also governed by the terms set out by the publisher. For the same article, the embargo may be 12 months for readers who are accessing the article through library A and 18 months for those who are accessing the article through library B, simply because library B may have subscribed to a less expensive package.
Indexing has to do with processing, is automatic, and follows the protocols defined by the indexing service in question: Web of Science may have one protocol, and Scopus, a different one. These protocols have do not have anything to do with access and therefore are unlikely to be affected by an embargo, if any.
Put simply, indexing points you to an article. Whether you can access it is a separate matter and has no connection to the indexing service.
For more information on embargo and indexing, you may refer to the following resources:
- Does an embargo period apply to open access articles or subscription articles?
- Journal indexing 101: Understanding the basics
Hope that helps.
This content belongs to the Journal Selection Stage