Academic Serials in China: Characteristics, Evaluation, Challenges, and Solutions

Academic serials constitute an important vehicle for the production and dissemination of scholarly knowledge in the humanities and social sciences in China. In the context of a rapidly transforming academic publishing landscape, a systematic review of the historical development of academic serials, together with an in-depth analysis of their distinctive strengths and practical challenges, is essential for reassessing their value positioning and further enhancing their role in knowledge transmission and academic innovation. Employing literature analysis, statistical analysis, and topic modeling techniques, this study examines the development trajectory of academic serials, the construction of their evaluation systems, their core characteristics, and the major challenges they face. The findings indicate that academic serials demonstrate notable advantages in terms of disciplinary differentiation as well as flexibility in article length and publication cycles. In particular, they play an irreplaceable role in sustaining niche and endangered fields of scholarship and in preserving traditional culture. Nevertheless, academic serials are confronted with a range of challenges, including insufficient funding, limited recognition of their academic status, a pronounced tendency toward internal submissions, and the lack of unified standards for publication and citation. In response, this article proposes measures such as diversifying funding sources, establishing evaluation systems tailored to the characteristics of academic serials, improving citation norms, and enhancing academic recognition, with a view to promoting their professionalization, standardization, and institutionalization. These efforts aim to support academic vitality, cultural continuity, and the development of a philosophy and social science knowledge system with Chinese characteristics.