Supplement (publishing)

Supplements in the publishing industry are separately bound publications and may encompass frank advertising in newspapers, concealed advertising in academic journals supplemental educational materials in textbooks or extra volumes in reference works.

In newspapers

Advertising supplements periodically accompany corresponding newspapers and are prepared by the paper's advertising staff instead of its editorial staff. It is common for them to cover topics such as real estate and automobiles on behalf of the paper's frequent advertisers. Some supplements are spin-offs from a newspaper. They are sold separately and typically cover a specific topic, such as the Times Literary Supplement and the Times Educational Supplement

In academic journals

In academic publishing, some journals publish supplements, which often either cover an industry-funded conference or are "symposia" on a given topic. These supplements are often subsidized by an external sponsor. Such supplements can have guest editors, are often not peer reviewed to the same standard as the journal itself, and are more likely to use promotional language. Many journals do not publish sponsored supplements, but small-circulation journals are more likely to publish supplements than large, high-prestige journals. Such supplements create conflicts of interest in academic publishing. Supplements are rarely peer-reviewed. In tehe words of a ghost writing company: "The value of journal supplements is that it allows you to better tailor your marketing message since it is a manufacturer-sponsored publication form. Additionally, reprints of supplements may be purchased and distributed widely among health care professionals via sales representatives..."

In book publishing

In education, supplemental materials are educational materials designed to accompany or expand on the information presented on course textbooks. These can include printed materials, CDs, websites, or other electronic materials. Supplement volumes are used in reference works. Some are published if it's too expensive to revise the main work, such as the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary. It can also be used as a companion for up-to-date books, focusing in a specific theme or area, such as Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition.

See also

• Advertorial
• Insert (print advertising)