A journal's publication date usually consists of the volume, number and month/year. Each volume of a journal series comprises a certain number of issues; the journal may publish two (semiannually), four (quarterly), six (bimonthly), or 12 (monthly) issues per year. Therefore, the volume number tells you how many years the journal has been published, and the number tells you which issue this is of the volume year. The month/year information indicates the month or month range (e.g., April -- June 2010) during which that number of any given volume is published. You can spot this information in various places on the journal.
Things You'll Need
Front or back cover of the journal
Spine of the journal
Table of contents of the journal
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Instructions
1
The publication information is often in small print, located just below the title or in a corner of the front cover of a journal.
Look at the front cover to locate the volume, number, and month/year. It is often in a corner, near the top or bottom of the cover. Example: Volume 41/Number 2/April - June 2010.
2
The journal's spine often features the publication volume, number, month and year.
Turn the journal to its side to view the spine (the strip that binds together the front and back covers). The information is often at the far right or left side of the spine. Example: Volume 102/Number 6/November - December 2011.
3
The Table of Contents usually contains a journal's publication date either above or below the list of articles.
Open the journal to the Table of Contents, usually located on the first or second page. Find the journal's publication date above or below the Table of Contents. Example: February 2010/Volume 89/Number 2.
4
Search the back cover of the journal if you are unable to locate the publication date in the locations described above. In a few cases, the publisher might print the Table of Contents on the back cover.