Introduction to History and Development of Scientific, Technical, and Medical [STM] Journals

Abstract

From rather humble origins, the first scientific, technical, and medical (STM) journal the Journal des Scavans was launched in France in January 1665. Within a few months the Royal Society in the U.K. released the first issue of Philosophical Transactions, a journal still publishing today. There was a need for journals; and new journals were launched aided by the widespread use of the printing press. This chapter analyzes: journal growth rates (about 10 journals by 1699 and 100,000 1999); increases in STM students, colleges, faculty, researchers, research institutions, the “publish or perish” movement,” the development of journal citation indices, the need for peer review of articles, and financial support for various STM projects. The original journals were sponsored by societies, but eventually university presses and commercial publishers entered the sector, impacting directly its rapid growth.