Journal profile · Chemistry, Analytical
Accreditation and Quality Assurance
ISSN 0949-1775 · eISSN 1432-0517 · Springer Berlin Heidelberg · GERMANY · Monthly · Founded 1996
Accreditation and Quality Assurance: CAS Zone 4 · Engineering (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.03; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,890; median 74 days to acceptance (98 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: easy; 63 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Accreditation and Quality Assurance is published by Springer Berlin Heidelberg and is in Zone 4 of Engineering in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Scientific Measurement and Uncertainty Evaluation, Pesticide Residue Analysis and Safety and Clinical Laboratory Practices and Quality Control, together about 44.7% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Accreditation and Quality Assurance (Accred. Qual. Assur.; "ACQUAL") publishes conceptual and practice-oriented articles on all aspects relevant to quality, transparency and reliability of measurement results in chemical and biological sciences. This is aimed at disseminating knowledge and contributing to the elimination of conceptual and technical barriers to intercontinental understanding ("CBU" and "TBU"). It is in this context that ACQUAL asks the authors for clarity in the presentation of their results by following international conventions or by defining deviations without ambiguity. The journal aims at serving the information needs of researchers, practitioners and decision makers alike. It provides problem solving for improved measurement practice, covers aspects of related education and training, and fosters cooperation between national and international bodies operating in accreditation and quality assurance of measurements in chemical and biological sciences.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Chemistry, Analytical
Editor-in-chief Stephen L.R.Publisher website
Editorial board by country: 2 in mainland China (about 8%); most named United Kingdom 3, Mainland China 2, Japan 2, Germany 2, France 2 (26 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Scientific Measurement and Uncertainty EvaluationDecision Sciences22.2%
- Pesticide Residue Analysis and SafetyAgricultural and Biological Sciences17.1%
- Clinical Laboratory Practices and Quality ControlMedicine5.4%
- Advanced Statistical Process MonitoringDecision Sciences5%
- Analytical chemistry methods developmentChemistry4.1%
- Quality and Safety in HealthcareHealth Professions3.6%
- Earthquake and Disaster Impact StudiesSocial Sciences3.5%
- Educational Robotics and EngineeringComputer Science3.3%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Engineering Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Analytical | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Instruments & Instrumentation | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Engineering Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Analytical | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Instruments & Instrumentation | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Engineering Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Analytical | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Instruments & Instrumentation | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
CASCAB AbstractsCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS, Semantic Scholar
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 1.03LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.1Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.1Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 1.6LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.2LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.82LetPub ·
- h-index
- 35LetPub ·
- h-index
- 53OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 567OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.34OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 18.2%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 17.76%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 60LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 175,200Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 2,969 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 50 | 13 | 5 |
| 2025 | 63 | 9 | 62 |
| 2024 | 66 | 17 | 173 |
| 2023 | 36 | 11 | 139 |
| 2022 | 41 | 14 | 209 |
| 2021 | 33 | 10 | 192 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
74 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 49 days – 124 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 22 days (98 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 95 days
- Sample
- 98 articles with submission and acceptance dates (121 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- 6–12 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 3 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer review, Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,890 / EUR 2,890 / GBP 2,490 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
Article types accepted7
- correspondenceFor other article types such as Meeting Report, International Bodies, Legislation and Norms, Events or Correspondence, please contact one of the Editors-in-Chie…Length not stated
- debateDebate Criteria: critical evaluation of development of knowledge, both theoretical and practical, as well as of the current state of the art in any field within…Length not stated
- editorialSingle-blind peer review This journal follows a single-blind reviewing procedure. Peer review policy This journal is guided by the Springer Portfolio editorial …Length not stated
- practitioner's reportPractitioner's Report Criteria: competent applications of metrological concepts in real-world cases which may be assumed to be of interest to a wider audience, …Length not stated
- researchResearch Criteria: scientific progress and new insights related to all aspects within ACQUAL's scope, including recent developments of measurement and accredita…Length not stated
- research articleResearch Criteria: scientific progress and new insights related to all aspects within ACQUAL's scope, including recent developments of measurement and accredita…Length not stated
- reviewResearch Criteria: scientific progress and new insights related to all aspects within ACQUAL's scope, including recent developments of measurement and accredita…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review
- AI use Generative AI Images
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosures and declarations
All authors are requested to include information regarding sources of funding, financial or non-financial interests, study-specific approval by the appropriate ethics committee for research involving humans and/or animals, informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved animals (as appropriate). The decision whether such …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
All original research must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access data supporting the results and analysis in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. Please see our full policy here. If it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when individual privacy could be com…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Accreditation and Quality Assurance, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review policy
Single-blind peer review Model summary
This journal is guided by the Springer Portfolio editorial peer review policy. The following types of contribution to this journal are peer-reviewed: Research, Practitioner's Report, Review, Debate. Meeting Reports, International Bodies, Legislation and Norms, Events or Correspondence and all forms of published correction may also be peer-reviewed at the discretion of the editors. Other contribute…
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer Berlin Heidelberg
- Country or region
- GERMANY
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1996
- ISSN
- 0949-1775
- Electronic ISSN
- 1432-0517
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 31, Issue 4 (August 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Accreditation and Quality Assurance
What CAS zone is Accreditation and Quality Assurance in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Accreditation and Quality Assurance is in Zone 4 of Engineering, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Chemistry, Analytical / Instruments & Instrumentation. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 4 of Engineering. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Accreditation and Quality Assurance?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.03; CiteScore 1.6, h-index 53.
How long does peer review take at Accreditation and Quality Assurance?
Based on the dates recorded on 98 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 74 days (interquartile range 49–124 days); authors report an average review time of 6–12 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Easy”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Accreditation and Quality Assurance?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Suggested reviewers: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Accreditation and Quality Assurance based?
Of the 26 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 2 (about 8%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United Kingdom (3), Mainland China (2) and Japan (2). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Accreditation and Quality Assurance?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Accreditation and Quality Assurance is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists CAS, CAB Abstracts and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Accreditation and Quality Assurance open access, and what is the APC?
Accreditation and Quality Assurance is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,890.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-24). Last updated: .