As of April 2, the Multidisciplinary Scientific Journal RECIMA21 now offers, in addition to the traditional PDF version, the publication of articles in XML and HTML formats, adopting a more advanced technological standard aligned with the requirements of major national and international indexing databases. Publication in XML and HTML enhances interoperability, automated indexing, international visibility, and digital preservation of scientific content, representing a strategic advancement in the journal’s editorial quality.
Understand the difference!!
Publishing in PDF and XML are distinct formats, with different purposes and impacts on scientific communication.
PDF (Portable Document Format)
It is a closed, visual, and static file. It preserves exactly the layout, fonts, images, and pagination.
Advantages:
– Preserves the official layout of the article.
– Easy to read and print.
– Aesthetic standardization (important for scientific journals).
– Universally accepted.
Limitations:
– “Visual” reading, not structured for machines.
– Low interoperability with databases.
– Less efficient indexing.
– Not suitable for data mining or automated reading.
Common use:
– Final published version in most scientific journals.
– Archivable file with DOI.
XML (eXtensible Markup Language)
It is a structured format using tags. It organizes content into identifiable blocks: title, authors, abstract, keywords, references, sections, etc.
Advantages:
– Structured reading by systems and indexing databases.
– Better indexing in databases such as SciELO, PubMed, and Scopus.
– Facilitates interoperability, digital preservation, and data mining.
– Allows automatic generation of PDF, HTML, EPUB.
Limitations:
– Not designed for direct human reading.
– Requires technical standardization (e.g., JATS XML).
– Higher technical production cost.
Common use:
– Requirement of international databases.
– Journals seeking greater impact and qualified indexing.
– Integration with platforms such as OJS + SciELO.
Comparative summary
PDF = visual format, aimed at human readers.
XML = structured format, aimed at systems, indexers, and scientific preservation.
The difference between publishing in PDF and HTML lies mainly in readability, accessibility, indexing, and scientific impact.
PDF is a closed and static format. It preserves exactly the article layout, making it ideal for printing and traditional reading. However, it has limitations: it is less mobile-friendly, has lower indexing capacity in search engines, and makes automated data extraction more difficult.
HTML, on the other hand, is an open and dynamic format, native to the web. The article is presented as an online page, adaptable to any device (computer, tablet, mobile), with better readability and navigation. Additionally, HTML content is much more easily indexed by search engines such as Google and academic databases, increasing visibility, reach, and citations.
Another important aspect is that HTML allows additional features such as clickable links, integration with metrics, section navigation, multimedia insertion, and improved accessibility for assistive technologies. It also supports international standards such as XML/JATS used by major indexers.
In practical terms:
PDF = traditional, static format, suitable for archiving and printing.
HTML = modern format, more visible, accessible, and scientifically valued.
HOW TO PUBLISH IN XML AND HTML!
Authors may choose to publish only in PDF, or in XML and HTML, or in all formats for the same article. The fee for XML and HTML publication is R$ 700.00 (seven hundred reais) per article, due to the higher technical production cost, which involves structured markup, standardization according to international norms, and specialized technical validation. If the author chooses publication in all three formats — PDF, XML, and HTML — the total fee will be R$ 1,200.00 (one thousand two hundred reais).
For international authors, the fee for XML and HTML publication is US$ 300.00 (three hundred dollars) per article, due to the specialized technical costs involved in international markup and validation. The fee for PDF publication remains unchanged at US$ 200.00 (two hundred dollars) per article.
Authors interested in XML and HTML publication must indicate this option at the time of submission on the platform and additionally send a request by email to rrecima21@gmail.com, expressly stating their interest in the service.