The key difference between publication and journal is that publications are for the general public, whereas journals are for the academic or technical audience.
Publications and journals can be published either online or in print or both methods. Publications are published daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually, but journals are usually not published on a daily or weekly basis.
CONTENT
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is a Publication
3. What is a Journal
4. Publication vs Journal in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Publication vs Journal
What is a Publication?
Publication refers to distributing printed copies of a work for the public. This is a technical term, and it is important to Copywrite legislation. The author is the initial owner of any work, and he/she has the exclusive right to publish that work. This includes publishing newspapers, magazines, journals and catalogues, which include visual, text or images. The author of a work has the freedom to decide whether to publish the work or not. If it’s not published, it is identified as an unpublished work.
Types of Publication Based on Content
- Monograph – lengthy research publication that is written by a single person
- Brochure – also known as a leaflet or pamphlet. This is a document used for advertising
- Tract – a booklet based on political or religious views of a single person and distributed freely
Types of Publication Based on Material
- Newspaper – a publication of several pages printed with news, information, sports, and advertising. They are published and distributed daily, weekly, monthly or annually
- Book – a collection of pages between two covers
- Booklet – a leaflet that is like a book
- Magazine – a book with front and back paper covers that has information on various topics and advertisements. Some magazines are published and distributed every week or every month
- Pamphlet – similar to a leaflet or booklet
- Journal- a newspaper or a similar publication
- Newsletter- a bulletin, pamphlet, leaflet or newspaper distributed to a specific audience
- Leaflet- a single sheet of paper printed on both sides
- Bulletin- brief information written on a flyer or inside another publication
- Broadside- a large single sheet one-sided printed paper that is designed to be plastered onto walls
- Flyer – also known as a handbill. A small sheet of paper printed on one side that is distributed free of charge
What is a Journal?
A journal is a scholarly publication that includes various articles written by professors, researchers, and other experts. They are also called serials or periodicals. Journals focus on a specific field and are aimed at the academic or technical audience.
Examples of Journals
- Medical journals
- Scientific journals
- Law journals
- Journals on humanities
Journals are generally on current topics and developments. All journal articles are based on original research and are peer-reviewed before publishing. They contain citations and a bibliography as well. Journals are published monthly, quarterly, or annually. They can be published online or in print, or both ways. They are usually sequentially numbered. Each journal copy is identified as an ‘issue’, and a collection of issues is a volume.
Types of Journal Articles
- Letters – short descriptions of important research findings
- Articles – usually, around 5-20 pages and they are complete descriptions of original research findings
- Research Notes – short descriptions that are less urgent when compared to letters and contain information on current research findings by a researcher
- Supplemental Articles – mostly consist of a large volume of details based on the results of current researches
- Review Articles – do not cover original research but include results of multiple articles on a particular field or topic, and give information about the subject and mentions journal references to the original research
What is the Difference Between Publication and Journal?
The key difference between publication and journal is that publications are for the general public while journals are for the academic or technical audience. In addition, publications are published daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually, but journals are usually not published on a daily or weekly basis.
The below infographic lists the differences between publication and journal in tabular form for side by side comparison.
Summary – Publication vs Journal
A publication is distributing printed copies of a work for the public. They are aimed at the general public and contain articles on almost any topic in various fields. A journal is a scholarly publication that includes various articles written by professors, researchers and other experts. They are also called serials or periodicals. They are sequentially numbered, and each journal is called an issue. Journals are based on original research findings and contain different types of journal articles such as letters, articles, research notes, supplemental articles and review articles. Thus, this is the summary of the difference between publication and journal.
Reference:
1. “Journal.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 14 June 2021.
2. “Publication.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Oct. 2021.
Image Courtesy:
1. “658056” (CC0) via Pxhere
2. “IAS Medical Journal” By Mrzoubi – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia