Archiving Policy

The Social Trends and Policy Review (STPR) is committed to the permanent preservation, accessibility, and discoverability of all scholarly content it publishes. Ensuring the long-term security of the academic record is a fundamental responsibility of the journal and an essential service to authors, readers, and the broader research community.

1. Digital Preservation Strategy

To safeguard against data loss and technological obsolescence, STPR employs a multi-layered archiving approach:

  • Multiple Secure Servers: All published content is stored on secure servers with access controls and regular backups.

  • Geographically Redundant Storage: Data is mirrored across different physical locations to ensure availability in the event of server failure or natural disaster.

  • Multiple File Formats: Articles are preserved in PDF, XML, and HTML formats to maintain accessibility across changing technologies.

2. Third-Party Preservation Services

STPR partners with trusted archiving initiatives to ensure long-term preservation, including:

  • LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe): Ensures multiple distributed copies of each publication are securely stored in a network of participating libraries.

  • CLOCKSS (Controlled Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe): Acts as a “dark archive” that releases content for free if the journal ceases publication.

  • Portico / PKP Preservation Network (PN): Provides secure long-term archiving and format migration services.

3. Institutional and National Repository Deposits

  • Authors are encouraged to deposit the final published version (Version of Record) in their institutional and subject-specific repositories.

  • The journal complies with national and regional legal deposit requirements where applicable.

4. Author Self-Archiving Policy

STPR supports Green Open Access and allows authors to:

  • Share the preprint (submitted version before peer review) freely at any time.

  • Share the postprint (accepted manuscript after peer review but before typesetting) in repositories with a link to the DOI of the published article.

  • Share the final published PDF on personal or institutional websites after publication, with full citation to STPR.

5. Continuity and Access in Case of Discontinuation

In the unlikely event that STPR ceases publication:

  • All content will remain freely accessible via partnered preservation services (CLOCKSS, Portico, PKP PN).

  • Access will be maintained without embargo to preserve the scholarly record permanently.