periodical

The cover of an issue of the open-access journal PLOS Biology, published monthly by the Public Library of Science

Periodical literature (singularly called a periodical publication or simply a periodical) consists of published works that appear in new releases on a regular schedule (issues or numbers, often numerically divided into annual volumes). The most familiar example of periodical literature is the newspaper, but the magazine and the journal are also periodicals. Some modern websites, e-journals, and other electronic-only publications produced recurrently on a schedule are also considered periodicals. Periodical publications cover a wide variety of topics, from academic, technical, and trade, to general-interest subjects such as leisure and entertainment.