Monograph

A monograph is a scholarly written work often authored by academics in the fields of science, social science, and history. It is usually a book-length discussion of a single topic or issue written by one or more subject matter experts such as scientists or college professors. Monographs are generally larger works of one hundred or more pages in length, so they are far longer than a magazine or journal article. They are generally written for an audience of other subject matter experts. While they can have great value as a wealth of information, they are usually of very little interest to people outside of academia and generate little commercial value. As a result, monographs are often published by a small group of presses that specialize in such academic works; they are distributed in either book or electronic formats. The term monograph also has specific usages in art, biology, and US pharmaceuticals.

Background

The word monograph derives from the Latin word monographus, which means "writer on single genus or species" (a writer who writes about one thing). The word came into use in the English language in about the early nineteenth century. Scientists seeking to share their rapidly increasing knowledge began writing book-length explanations of their latest findings and discoveries. Because these were written usually by one person about a very specific aspect of scientific study, they became known as monographs.

While the word monograph is most often meant to refer to these scholarly books, the term has also been adopted by other industries over time. In art usage, a monograph is a book that highlights some of the work of a particular artist; it usually contains printed images and short descriptions. Monographs are often created to accompany artists' exhibits and sold at the gallery or museum featuring the artist's work. They are intended to promote the artist, his or her art, and often a specific exhibit.

Biologists use the term monograph to refer to an exhaustive explanation of the available information about a taxon. A taxon is a biological group or rank of organisms that are classified together, such as a species, class, or family. A biological monograph lists information about a taxon, including its history, how it reproduces or pollinates, genetic information, descriptions, illustrations, alternate names, and other information that helps identify and differentiate the taxon.

A pharmacological monograph is similar to a biological monograph since it contains information that helps to differentiate and identify items. In the pharmaceutical industry, drug monograph is a written description of a medication that includes certain specific elements, such as the drug name, ingredients, description of all the forms in which it is available and how they are packaged, and how the drug should be stored and administered. These monographs are important because they provide a standard format for all medications and related products that is easy to review and compare. This helps address testing and quality concerns and gives medical professionals, health insurance companies, regulatory and researcher personnel, and others standard information about a particular pharmaceutical.

Overview

A monograph deals with limited information about a specific subject. While other industries and professionals use monographs, the most common usage is applied to the scholarly work on a single subject.

Like books, monographs are written in chapter format. In many cases, the individual chapters of a monograph could be stand-alone articles; some chapters may have originally been written as articles and previously published in this format. However, a monograph is more than a collection of individual articles.

Articles typically are self-contained and complete in the information that they present. A monograph is a coherent document that reads like a book, although it is often a very technical book written for a limited audience. As a result, when an author writes a monograph that draws on previously written articles, the articles are likely to undergo significant revisions, which makes monographs more than a collection of previously written articles.

Monographs also differ from textbooks and general works of nonfiction. Subject matter experts generally write textbooks to share information with students who are learning about a particular subject. Nonfiction works are written by people who are well versed about a subject and seek to share that knowledge with others. Subject matter experts write monographs for other subject matter experts. Although students can read a monograph and are sometimes required to read one as supplemental learning material, monographs are often used to share new research and theories so others can not only learn from them but also use them to conduct their own research and develop their own theories. The information presented in a monograph is new and may or may not become accepted as factual information in its field.

Another key difference between a monograph and a textbook or a scholarly work of nonfiction is the intended purpose. Most textbooks and nonfiction works are generally written with the hope of making a profit. Monographs usually are of great importance in their field but of little commercial value. In some cases, they are distributed as open access material purely for sharing information. In some instances, a monograph can become significant and develop commercial value; it may also be adapted and revised for a larger audience. However, the key importance of a monograph is to share the information with other scholars. In many cases, writing and publishing a monograph is very important for an academic to be taken seriously and advance in his or her field.

Bibliography

"Elements of a Monograph." City University of New York,csivc.csi.cuny.edu/history/files/lavender/element.html. Accessed 1 May 2017.

Guzman, Alissa. "Three Different Styles of the Artist Monograph." Hyperallergic, 26 Jan. 2012, hyperallergic.com/45947/3-different-styles-artist-monograph-david-zwirner/. Accessed 1 May 2017.

Kivistö, Sari, and Sami Pihlström. "The Monograph: An Old-Fashioned Publication Forum or an Ultimate Scholarly Achievement?" University of Helsinki, www.helsinki.fi/collegium/events/monografia/monografia.pdf. Accessed 1 May 2017.

"The Monograph." University of California, Berkeley, www.lib.berkeley.edu/scholarlypublishing/monographs.html. Accessed 1 May 2017.

"The Monograph." University of Minnesota Press, www.upress.umn.edu/about-us/history-and-fact-sheet-folder/what-was-a-university-press-1/iii.-the-monograph. Accessed 1 May 2017.

"Monographs and Floras." Michigan State University, msu.edu/course/bot/418/monographs.html. Accessed 1 May 2017.

Terras, Melissa. "Want to Be Taken Seriously as Scholar in the Humanities? Publish a Monograph." Guardian, 30 Sept. 2014, www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2014/sep/30/publishing-humanities-monograph-open-access. Accessed 1 May 2017.

"USP Standards: Monographs (Written Standards)." US Pharmacopeia; Convention, www.usp.org/sites/default/files/usp‗pdf/EN/regulator/monograph‗backgrounder‗dec‗2011.pdf. Accessed 1 May 2017.