<span class="mw-page-title-main">Periodical literature</span>

Periodical literature

<p>A <b>periodical literature</b> (also called a <b>periodical publication</b> or simply a <b>periodical</b>) is a <a href="/en/Publication" title="Publication" class="wl">published work</a> that appears in a new edition on a regular schedule. The most familiar example is a <a href="/en/Newspaper" title="Newspaper" class="wl">newspaper</a>, but a <a href="/en/Magazine" title="Magazine" class="wl">magazine</a> or a <a href="/en/Academic_journal" title="Academic journal" class="wl">journal</a> are also examples of periodicals. These publications cover a wide variety of topics, from academic, technical, trade, and general interest to <a href="/en/Leisure" title="Leisure" class="wl">leisure</a> and <a href="/en/Entertainment" title="Entertainment" class="wl">entertainment</a>.</p>

<div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none" about="#mwt1">Regularly scheduled published work</div>
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<figure class="mw-default-size wiki-thumb"><a href="/en/File:PLoS_Biology_cover_April_2009.svg" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:PLoS_Biology_cover_April_2009.svg"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/PLoS_Biology_cover_April_2009.svg/220px-PLoS_Biology_cover_April_2009.svg.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="743" data-file-height="979" data-file-type="drawing" height="290" width="220" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/PLoS_Biology_cover_April_2009.svg/330px-PLoS_Biology_cover_April_2009.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/PLoS_Biology_cover_April_2009.svg/440px-PLoS_Biology_cover_April_2009.svg.png 2x" alt="PLoS_Biology_cover_April_2009.svg"></a><figcaption>The cover of an issue of the <a href="/en/Open-access_journal" title="Open-access journal" class="mw-redirect wl">open-access journal</a> <i><a href="/en/PLOS_Biology" title="PLOS Biology" class="wl">PLOS Biology</a></i>, published monthly by the <a href="/en/Public_Library_of_Science" title="Public Library of Science" class="mw-redirect wl">Public Library of Science</a></figcaption></figure>
<p><a href="/en/Article_(publishing)" title="Article (publishing)" class="wl">Articles</a> within a periodical are usually organized around a single main subject or theme and include a title, date of publication, author(s), and brief summary of the article. A periodical typically contains an editorial section that comments on subjects of interest to its readers. Other common features are reviews of recently published books and films, columns that express the author's opinions about various topics, and advertisements.</p>

<p>A periodical is a serial publication. A <a href="/en/Book" title="Book" class="wl">book</a> is also a serial publication, but is not typically called a periodical. An <a href="/en/Encyclopedia" title="Encyclopedia" class="wl">encyclopedia</a> or <a href="/en/Dictionary" title="Dictionary" class="wl">dictionary</a> is also a book, and might be called a serial publication if it is published in many different editions over time.</p>



A periodical literature is a published work that appears in a new edition on a regular schedule. The most familiar example is a newspaper, but a magazine or a journal are also examples of periodicals. These publications cover a wide variety of topics, from academic, technical, trade, and general interest to leisure and entertainment. Articles within a periodical are usually organized around a single main subject or theme and include a title, date of publication, author , and brief summary of the article. A periodical typically contains an editorial section that comments on subjects of interest to its readers. Other common features are reviews of recently published books and films, columns that express the author's opinions about various topics, and advertisements. A periodical is a serial publication. A book is also a serial publication, but is not typically called a periodical. An encyclopedia or dictionary is also a book, and might be called a serial publication if it is published in many different editions over time. 