PNAS Updates

PNAS announces 2020 Subscription Rates

August 12, 2019

Washington, DC – The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) is pleased to announce no price increase to either institutional or individual subscription rates for 2020 (all subscriptions are online only). Please visit our subscription rates page for 2020 pricing information.

In 2020, PNAS will publish more than 26,000 pages of high-impact, original research that broadly spans the Biological, Physical, and Social sciences. A PNAS subscription includes access to special article collections and subject portals, as well as Commentaries, Inaugural Articles, Letters to the Editor, Perspectives, Profiles, and QnAs. The PNAS website, features searchable legacy content dating back to 1915, which guarantees that subscribers have access to the entire PNAS archive. Article-level metrics data and article downloads can be found via the “Info & Metrics” tab near the top of each PNAS article.

An institutional site license to PNAS provides a discount on our open access fees. Corresponding authors from institutions with a site license save 24% on the open access surcharge. By renewing your site license promptly, you provide researchers at your institution wider distribution of their work, and you support an important open access initiative.

You can easily renew for 2020 by contacting our customer service team:

PNAS Subscriber Services
PO Box 465
Hanover, PA 17331 USA
Phone: 717-632-3535
Fax: 717-633-8920
Email: pnas.subs@sheridan.com

Thank you for your continued interest in PNAS.

Introducing PNAS flexible article lengths.

July 11, 2019

Beginning July 1, 2019, PNAS authors are no longer bound by strict 6- and 10-page limits. With our new flexible article lengths, PNAS articles may range up to 12 pages in length, and authors only pay for the pages they use. While our preferred article length remains 6 pages, we hope that shifting to a single, flexible article type will allow authors in all disciplines to communicate their findings effectively to a broad scientific audience.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned as a multidisciplinary journal, it’s that one size does not fit all.

We decided to shift to flexible article lengths largely because you, our authors, asked for more flexibility in publishing your research. Since 2011, PNAS authors have had two options for article length: the standard 6-page article and the 10-page Plus article. While most of our authors opt for the 6-page article, a growing number are choosing the Plus option; Plus articles have grown from just 6% of published pages in 2011 to nearly half of our published pages in 2018. Many Plus authors tell us they appreciate being able to discuss their findings in depth while still reaching a broad audience. As scientific research becomes more collaborative and interdisciplinary, we expect this trend toward longer articles to continue.

We also know that different disciplines and different projects require different article lengths, and that not every project will be exactly 6 or 10 pages long. Many of our authors have told us that trimming a manuscript down to 6 pages is particularly onerous. While we are still invested in PNAS’s mission to publish brief first announcements of important contributions to research, relaxing our length requirements will allow authors, not arbitrary page limits, to determine the appropriate article length for their work.

How will flexible article lengths change the PNAS submission process?

You may still submit a single, combined PDF at first submission. PNAS is format-neutral, so this PDF may be in any format or reference style. With flexible article lengths, when you submit an article to PNAS, you no longer need to choose between Direct Submission or Plus. With the exception of Brief Reports, all research reports will fall under a single article type. Learn more about our submissions process for flexible articles.

In addition, you are no longer required to use the length estimator tool at any point in the submission process, including for revised submissions. Instead, you may input basic information about your manuscript, including word, reference, figure, and table counts to get an estimated length of your submission. Learn more about how we estimate article lengths.

How much do flexible articles cost?

Flexible article length means you only pay for the space you use. You no longer need to pay the Plus flat rate for 10 pages if you only need 8, and authors of more technical or in-depth papers may expand up to 12 pages. Learn more about our updated publication fees.

Will a longer paper have a better chance of being accepted?

No. We evaluate all submitted manuscripts, regardless of length, by the standards outlined in our Information for Authors. Learn more about our review process and acceptance criteria.

Whom should I contact with questions about flexible articles?

Contact us at pnas@nas.edu or 202-334-2679. We are available Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM ET. If you contact us outside of business hours, we will respond as soon as possible.

[08/19]