A Survey of STM Online Journals 1990-95: the Calm before the Storm: sixth

Description/Abstract

The provision of online journals is accelerating. This survey of full-text, peer-reviewed journals in the areas of science, technology and medicine STM) discovered over 100 online titles towards the end of 1995. Hundreds more online journals are promised by publishers in 1996. Despite this it is clear that the new 'online' medium is not being exploited since many new online journals are simply electronic editions of paper journals. The survey highlights this dilemma. Aimed at publishers, content producers, editors, authors and archivists, the publication data presented are analysed to indicate the nature and form of these online journals as well as something of their history, to discover trends and to highlight features which may project the shape and publication processes of future online journals beyond the immediate prospect of paper-dominated electronic editions. The paper also surveys journal awareness lists, from which many of the journals included were discovered, comparing the numerous lists now available and briefly assessing their reliability for discovering online journals.