What is a supplement article in a scholarly journal?
In academic journals, a supplement article or supplement issue is extra content that’s published outside the regular schedule of a scholarly journal. Think of it like a bonus edition!
Why are supplements so short?
- Early-stage research: Supplements often include studies that are still in progress. You might only see preliminary results, with a more complete article published later.
- Abstracts only: In some cases, the supplement just includes summaries (abstracts) of presentations from the conference, not full papers.
- Focused topics: These special issues are designed to highlight new and emerging research on a specific subject—like cancer treatment, mental health, or vaccine development.
So if you're reading a supplement, you're getting a snapshot of cutting-edge research, sometimes before it's fully finalized.
How can I recognize a supplement article?
Article citations will typically reflect that the article is a supplement. Sometimes, the article title will have a number before it and/or have an S or Supplement near the volume and issue section of the citation.
Supplement article citation example:
