Elsevier embargo periods, 2013-2017

This dataset contains all journal embargo periods published by Elsevier in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017, for both UK and non-UK authors. It also contains a set of notes on the overall statistics and annual changes between lists. In summary, 88.5% of currently published Elsevier journals (in late 2017) offer a twelve-month or less embargo period for UK authors, and 60.5% for non-UK authors. Since the first general list was published in 2013, the general trend has been to add more journals to the list and (gradually) lower embargo periods; in 2015 and 2016 this has included a substantial increase in zero-embargo titles. The majority of journals have a stated embargo period and in most cases it has been reasonably stable since 2015. A number of substantial anomalies developed between the lists in 2013 and 2014, with journals being removed or having their embargo periods extended. These have since been created, but around a dozen mismatches have reappeared in the December 2017 version of the lists.