Editing Academic journal (section)

== Content ==
{{See also|Medical journal|Law review}}
Content usually takes the form of articles presenting [[original research]], [[review article]]s, or [[#Book reviews|book reviews]]. The purpose of an academic journal, according to [[Henry Oldenburg]] (the first editor of ''[[Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society]]''), is to give researchers a venue to "impart their knowledge to one another, and contribute what they can to the Grand design of improving natural knowledge, and perfecting all Philosophical Arts, and Sciences."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-02-12 |title=Royal Society journal archive made permanently free to access |publisher=The Royal Society |url=https://royalsociety.org/news/2011/Royal-Society-journal-archive-made-permanently-free-to-access/ |access-date=2023-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212195825/https://royalsociety.org/news/2011/Royal-Society-journal-archive-made-permanently-free-to-access/ |archive-date=2019-02-12 }}</ref>

The term ''academic journal'' applies to scholarly publications in all fields; this includes journals that cover [[Formal science|formal sciences]], [[Natural science|natural sciences]], [[Social science|social sciences]], and [[humanities]], which differ somewhat from each other in form and function.

Although academic journals are superficially similar to professional magazines (or trade journals), they are quite different. Articles in academic journals are written by active researchers such as students, scientists, and professors. Their intended audience is others in the field, meaning their content is highly technical.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 25, 2023 |title=What is a Scholarly Journal? |url=https://library.vvc.edu/welcome/journals |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314232452/https://library.vvc.edu/welcome/journals |archive-date=March 14, 2016 |access-date=January 25, 2023 |website=Victor Valley College Library (Victor Valley College)}}</ref> Academic articles also deal with research, and are peer reviewed. Meanwhile, trade journals are aimed at people in different fields, focusing on how people in those fields can do their jobs better.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |last=Lilla |first=Rick |date=November 11, 2022 |title=What's the difference between a scholarly journal, a professional journal, a peer reviewed journal, and a magazine? |url=https://ask.lockhaven.edu/research/faq/163762 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180524150850/https://ask.lockhaven.edu/research/faq/163762 |archive-date=May 24, 2018 |access-date=January 25, 2023 |website=Lock Haven University Libraries}}</ref>

The first academic journal was {{Lang|fr|[[Journal des sçavans]]}} (January 1665), followed soon after by ''Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society'' (March 1665), and {{Lang|fr|[[Mémoires de l'Académie des Sciences]]}} (1666). The first fully peer-reviewed journal was ''Medical Essays and Observations'' (1733<!--Source says 1731 for the "launch", but it was published in 1733 -->).<ref name="Mudrak">{{cite web |last=Mudrak |first=Ben |title=Scholarly Publishing: A Brief History |url=https://www.aje.com/en/arc/scholarly-publishing-brief-history/ |publisher=American Journal Experts |access-date=2018-06-18 |archive-date=2019-05-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517055530/https://www.aje.com/en/arc/scholarly-publishing-brief-history/ |url-status=live }}</ref>