scholarly journal

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 13, 2026

Quick Summary

Peer review is a process where experts in a field evaluate work they did not create, such as research proposals or manuscripts for publication. This gatekeeping function selects the best submissions and provides constructive criticism to improve ideas and papers.12

Scholarly journals, which began in the 17th century, expanded significantly in the 19th century. They enabled scholars to share discoveries and stay informed about developments in specialized fields. These journals are essential for those working in specific areas, serving as installments of reference material.3

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

history of publishing
Scholarly journals
The publishing of scholarly journals, begun in the 17th century, expanded greatly in the 19th as fresh fields of inquiry opened up or old ones were further divided into specialties. Numerous learned societies were formed in such fields as classical studies, biblical studies,…
Read More
The publishing of scholarly journals, begun in the 17th century, expanded greatly in the 19th as fresh fields of inquiry opened up or old ones were further divided into specialties. Numerous learned societies were formed in such fields as classical studies, biblical studies,…
Read More

Western philosophy
Professionalization of philosophy
…founding of the first professional journals and (2) the increasing concern of philosophy with its own history. The learned journal, like the scientific society, was an innovation of the 17th century. But what had begun as a general intellectual endeavour became in 18th-century Germany a specifically philosophical enterprise. Journals were…
Read More
…founding of the first professional journals and (2) the increasing concern of philosophy with its own history. The learned journal, like the scientific society, was an innovation of the 17th century. But what had begun as a general intellectual endeavour became in 18th-century Germany a specifically philosophical enterprise. Journals were…
Read More

Internet
Electronic publishing
…has created a revolution in scholarly publishing, especially in the sciences and engineering. For example, arXiv.org has transformed the rate at which scientists publish and react to new theories and experimental data. Begun in 1991, arXiv.org is an online archive in which physicists, mathematicians, computer scientists, and computational biologists upload…
Read More
…has created a revolution in scholarly publishing, especially in the sciences and engineering. For example, arXiv.org has transformed the rate at which scientists publish and react to new theories and experimental data. Begun in 1991, arXiv.org is an online archive in which physicists, mathematicians, computer scientists, and computational biologists upload…
Read More