Throughout its history, commencing in 1915, the Royal Society of Western Australia has produced a journal, publishing the various papers dealing with scientific, agricultural, natural history and conservation matters of the State, and articles (such as letters, annual reports and proceedings). Jenkins (1965) describes the history of the Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia, and also those journals and publications of its predecessor societies.
The Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia remains the only journal that covers all aspects of the natural and physical sciences as well as anthropology and archaeology in this State. Although not the sole purpose of the Journal, publication of articles of intense local interest remains an important and essential function. Today, many national and international journals will not accept for publication papers that are viewed as having only local content, even if the information is potentially important to scientists elsewhere in Australia or overseas.
The journal has developed a tradition of integrating knowledge from entire ecosystems, such as the Rottnest Island issue (Volume 66, Parts 1 & 2, 1983), the Banksia Woodlands Symposium (Volume 71, Part 4, 1989), the Leeuwin Current Symposium (Volume 74, 1991), and Plant Diseases in Ecosystems: threats and impacts in south-western Australia (Volume 77, Part 4, 1994), and for important topics such as the de Laeter Symposium on Isotope Science (Volume 79, Part 1, 1996). The integration of knowledge from several scientific disciplines in the Journal is well demonstrated by the bibliographies prepared by Bougher & Semeniuk (1991) then Withers (1998). Throughout most of its history, and especially since Volume 40 in 1957, the Journal has been published on a calendar year basis, with one volume per year. This pattern was disrupted in the 1980s due to difficulties in publication, but this was resolved by the Government Printer allowing the Journal to "catch up" the necessary parts to publish Volume 75 in 1992. Since then, Volumes of the Journal have been published annually, with issues identified by month as well as part, as Part 1 (March), Part 2 (June), Part 3 (September) and Part 4 (December). The Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia has been published by the Western Australian Museum, from 1995.
For contents of the journals, see Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia contents pages
Publication of the Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia has benefited greatly by a subsidy from the Government of Western Australia, which The Society gratefully acknowledges.
Bougher A & V Semeniuk 1991 A bibliography and index to the Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia Volumes 1-70. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 74:1-35.
Jenkins C F H 1965 A history of the Royal Society of Western Australia, and its role in the community. Presidential Address. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 48:33-44.
Withers P C 1998 A complete bibiography and index of the Journals: 1899-1997. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 81:15-52
The Royal Society of Western Australia
http://www.ecu.edu.au/pa/rswa
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