Journals provide one of the most common publishing platforms for scholarly writers in all disciplines. Genamics JournalSeek, an online database, lists more than 90,000 titles of academic journals published throughout the world. Some scholarly journals present research articles, news concerning research methods, editorials, book reviews and a letters to the editor section that accommodates an ongoing public dialogue. Articles published in scholarly journals are often, but not always, reviewed by established experts in the field.
Peer-reviewed or refereed articles are evaluated by established experts prior to being published. Journals hire panels of leading scholars to evaluate new ideas and research in connection with existing thought and practices. Several different experts assess each article, and the names of authors are withheld to ensure objective critiques. Review panels suggest edits and offer advice to publishers on whether to accept or decline a submission. Because of the level of professional scrutiny, research and arguments in peer-reviewed journals are considered the most reliable of scholarly articles.
Monographs are book-length essays that present new research or arguments as part of a comprehensive exploration of a narrow topic. Publishing monographs has traditionally been a required credential for those pursing an academic career. Usually peer-reviewed, monographs are printed by university presses in editions of fewer than 1,000 copies. Like books, they are often cloth-bound and illustrated. While highly valued among academic communities, the production costs of monographs have opened the door to other avenues of scholarly publication.
Instead of a subscription-based distribution, some scholarly journals have adopted an open access system of publication. Launched by the Berkley, California-based Public Library of Science, open access journals require scholars to pay a publication fee to be included in an online journal offered free to the public, and a hard-copy version that can be purchased through the library. All work is peer reviewed, and readers have the right to use, copy and distribute the work as long as the author is credited. Open access publishing allows researchers around the world quicker and more efficient access to the results of clinical trials, surveys and other experiments. The system also provides the results of publicly funded research to the public.