Academic journal

“ The establishment of a new scientific journal is a source of gratification to all who are sufficiently acquainted with the history of research in pure science to realize the assistance, both to further acquisitions and to practical applications of knowledge, which is afforded by making known the results of investigations. ”

“ As centers of scientific activity increased in number, as the postoffice and railways developed, as general scientific journals were established—'The American Journal of Science' began publication in 1818—the need of a national organization was felt, and here again the older nations had established the precedent. ”

“ A well illustrated magazine devoted to the popularization of science should have a wide circulation and be conducted on different lines from a journal concerned with the less elementary aspects of scientific work, just as a high school and the graduate school of a university differ in their methods and in their appeal. ”

“ That the period when satisfactory compensation can be made to all writers whose pieces are inserted, and to whom payment will be acceptable, is not distant, may perhaps be hoped, from the spontaneous expression of the following opinion, by the distinguished editor of one of our principal literary journals, whose letter is now before me. “The character of the American Journal is strictly national, and it is the only vehicle of communication in which an inquirer may be sure to find what is most interesting in the wide range of topics, which its design embraces. ”

“ In publishing a new periodical, they consider that they are merely supplying a want of the public, which desires to be informed as to passing events, new discoveries in science, the proceedings in lawsuits, &c. This journal will interest all classes of readers, not only people in easy circumstances who live on their income, but merchants and mechanics, who will find in it intelligence of which they stand in need. ”

“ Out of the shadows crept to Peter Hope an old forgotten dream—the dream of a wonderful new Journal, price one penny weekly, of which the Editor should come to be one Thomas Hope, son of Peter Hope, its honoured Founder and Originator: a powerful Journal that should supply a long-felt want, popular, but at the same time elevating—a pleasure to the public, a profit to its owners. ”

“ Taking scientific journals and transactions as the measure of work, we have but a solitary periodical of the first rank—Silliman's Journal. "Our two most active societies have been the Philosophical Society of Philadelphia, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, each of which has brought out about a dozen volumes of transactions since the beginning of the century. Excluding societies whose publications are purely biological, we are not aware that half a dozen other volumes of transactions have appeared within the interval alluded to. ”

“ Under this title an illustrated journal will be published weekly, to which the attention of scientific men and the educated public is invited.
Science will be a strictly independent journal, devoted to the advancement of knowledge and scientific research in America, and will be technical only in so far as the subject-matter may require. ”

“ Scholarly research has been fostered in every possible way, and the university press has been active in the publication of various departmental series and the following periodicals:—Biblical World, American Journal of Theology, American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures, American Journal of Sociology, Journal of Political Economy, Modern Philology, Classical Philology, Classical Journal, Journal of Geology, Astrophysical Journal, Botanical Gazette, Elementary School Teacher and School Review. ”

“ When we look at the great talent—the extensive arrangement—the vast amount of information on a variety of topics—the immense circulation—the rapidity with which it is thrown off, and the correctness of the details of The Times paper—we are constrained to pronounce it the most marvellous political journal the world has ever seen. ”

“ We gratefully acknowledge the obligation under which he has laid us by his diligent attendance at the meetings, by his unstinted giving of time and of labor in editing the publications and maintaining their high scientific character, by the quality and amount of his own contributions to the Journal—more than half of volumes VI-XII [15] coming from his pen—and above all by the inspiration of his example. ”

“ Moreover, peer review involves scientists submitting a manuscript to a scientific journal in the field, journal editors soliciting critical reviews from other experts in the field and deciding whether [*745] the scientist has followed proper research procedures, employed up-to-date methods, considered and cited relevant literature and generally, whether the researcher has employed sound science. ”

“ Monthly into two journals is in the natural course of evolution, each journal being able to adapt itself to its environment more advantageously than is possible for a single journal. Each can perform an important service for the diffusion and advancement of science. ”

“ Scotland and England assumed the leadership for the first half of the nineteenth century, and the first 100 volumes of the Journal show the profound influence of English and French teaching. In America, independent thinking, early exercised by the few, became general with the establishment of the Federal survey, the increase in university departments, geological societies and periodicals, and has given to Americans the responsibilities of teachers.
Bibliography. (In the following list “this Journal” refers to the American Journal of Science.) ”

“ That such a detailed historical journal should be maintained by the Society hardly admits of a question. I had hoped to see one inaugurated during the first year of our work that would have embraced all the departments of the Society: but must confess with some disappointment, to having been too sanguine and to have over-estimated the interest that might be excited in the members of a new organization. We need a journal of the kind for reference; for our associates, ourselves, and our many friends we hope to attract by the information we may supply them. ”

“ At the same time it has not seemed wise, at any time in the past, to formally restrict the pages of the Journal to any single group of subjects. The future is before us and its problems will be met as they arise. ”

“ The editor of this Journal, strongly inclined, both from opinion and habit, to gratify the cultivators of science, will still do everything in his power to promote its high interests, and as he hopes in a better manner than heretofore; but these respectable gentlemen will have the courtesy, to yield something to the reading literary, as well as scientific public, and will not, we trust, be disgusted, if now and then an Oasis relieves the eye, and a living stream refreshes the traveller. ”

“ Too often a journal’s decision to publish a paper is dominated by what the Editor/s think is interesting and will gain greater readership – both of which are subjective judgments and lead to decisions which are frustrating and delay the publication of your work. PLOS ONE will rigorously peer-review your submissions and publish all papers that are judged to be technically sound. ”

“ The use of his book to cultivated people might lie in its affording a kind of standard by which they might take measure of the maturity and producible quality of their own thoughts on a hundred important subjects. He will write a page or two, giving evidence of that accumulated power and attainment which, with a more strenuous temperament, might have sufficed for an effective volume. Continually, in the Journal, we pause over things that would rank for beauties among widely differing models of the best French prose. ”

“ Young people should read the Journal, that they may make the most of themselves. It has long met with the hearty approval of the press and the people.
N. Y. Times says: “The Phrenological Journal proves that the increasing years of a periodical is no reason for its lessening its enterprise or for diminishing its abundance of interesting matter. ”

“ Doing it is bound to mean more education and more organization. For the Journal fills its readers with zeal for the cause; it makes them want to work for it; and it makes them well informed, efficient workers. ”

“ Nobody ever complains of having too little to read, as Richard Fisher, the managing director of Cambridge University Press’s academic division, has put it at many conferences. Yet, most humanities academics feel the need to publish books for their jobs and, more importantly, simply to disseminate their findings. ”

“ No one act of the society contributed so much to its prosperity as the publication of the Journal, commenced in 1817 and continued at irregular intervals for a period of twenty-five years. The series consists of eight octavo volumes, illustrated by lithographic and engraved plates, and contains contributions from nearly all the active naturalists of the period, who had, indeed, scarcely any other avenue of publicity for the details of their original investigations. ”

“ Journal articles tend to be primary literature in the sciences and secondary literature in the humanities. In the sciences, books tend to synthesise research published in articles, while in the humanities articles tend to report on the history and interpretation of books. Tenure in the sciences depends more on published articles than on books, while tenure in the humanities depends more on published books than on articles. ”

“ More attractive is his discussion of the methods whereby the scientific training-school is to influence the surrounding world. The organised force of the university is to manifest itself in the continuous production of three sets of records or Acta: first, a Journal of Scientific Art, in a peculiar sense the Acta literaria of the university, in which the produce of the university work, including the theses of the students, shall be incorporated ”

“ It will be the constant study of the Editors to maintain in the New Work all those general features which for Twenty-two Years have given their Journal its extensive popularity—a cheerful Light Literature, comprehensive Information, sound Ethics, and enlightened views of a Progressive Social Economy, without the admixture of controversial matter of any kind. ”

“ Many people want personal notices and trivial articles in the paper; some wish long manuscripts published; others think their league meetings should be more fully reported. The paper must, therefore, be so edited and the letters of the department must be so written as to make every one feel that the Journal is fair to all and that whatever it does is done with no personal animosities, with no biases, and purely for the welfare of the cause and in accordance with the best ideals we have been able to work out. ”

“ One object of the new Journal is to enable those engaged in this common work to communicate upon subjects of importance, with a view to an interchange of ideas, and the establishment of unity of action in the various centres. ”

“ ILLUSTRATED POLYTECHNIC REVIEW. This Journal will be devoted to Science, the Fine Arts, and Literature. Each Number will contain an Essay or Essays on some branch of Science or the Fine Arts, together with other highly-interesting matter. The Review will be printed on a fine Paper, with a new Type, and will comprise 48 closely-printed columns, 4to. The whole to be illustrated with numerous fine Engravings, by the first Artists.
Letters, Essays, Works for Review &c. to be addressed to the Editor, 143, Strand, London, where Advertisements will be received. ”

“ The alternative and better form, especially where the periodical has a separate volume number sequence under each of the titles, is to enter both as if quite distinct publications, but with notes attached marking the connection, as
Weekly and monthly periodicals are sometimes the official organs of learned or scientific societies, in which case the name of the society becomes the entry word, as
Society of Arts, Journal of the. ”

“ The College and Reference Section of the American Library Association, with the approval of the Council of such Association, respectfully requests that your institution publish in its annual catalog, or corresponding publication, a list of the dissertations accepted from persons who have been granted the degree of doctor of philosophy or science during the preceding academic year, and a supplementary list of all dissertations printed since the publication of the last annual catalog. ”

“ The perceived hierarchy of the journals can be useful for conferring status and grounds for career advancement on the authors of papers accepted by the most prestigious journals, and it provides a useful guide to readers besieged by the proliferation of published work. Moreover, current journals often present their reports in attractive formats, bound between colorful covers and accompanied by research commentaries, reviews, and various kinds of news, advertisements, and technical advice. ”

“ Notwithstanding the alleged interest in science with which our age is so abundantly credited, it remains doubtful if a journal designed mainly for the wants of specialists can be remunerating, at least until after a considerable period of time. It must chiefly appeal to the intellectual requirements of advanced men ”