An ISSN is the standard identifier for a serial publication — the number libraries, indexers, and databases use to recognise your journal as a journal. It identifies the title, not individual articles (that is what DOIs are for), and it is issued free of charge by the ISSN network in most countries.
Print and electronic ISSNs
Each medium gets its own number. An online journal needs an electronic ISSN (e-ISSN); if you also produce a printed edition, that edition needs a separate print ISSN. Most journals founded on Scholardemia are online-only and need just the e-ISSN.
When to apply
You do not need an ISSN to launch. Many national centres want to see a working journal — a live site and published content, or at least firm publication details — before they assign a number, so the usual sequence is: launch, publish your first articles or issue, then apply. Nothing on Scholardemia is blocked while you wait.
How to apply
Find your ISSN centre
Applications go through the ISSN National Centre for the country where the journal is published. The ISSN International Centre’s portal at issn.org lists every national centre and handles countries without one.
Prepare the journal details
- Exact journal title, as it appears on your site.
- Publisher name — typically your lab, society, or institution.
- The journal site URL and the year publishing began.
- Publication frequency, for example continuous or quarterly.
Submit and wait for assignment
Assignment is free through the ISSN network and usually takes from a few days to a few weeks depending on the centre. Beware of third-party sites charging for “fast-track” ISSNs.
Record your ISSN on Scholardemia
Once assigned, add the ISSN in your journal’s settings. It then flows through everywhere the journal describes itself: the public site, article metadata and JATS exports, DOI deposits, and the DOAJ application fields. Indexers cross-check the number against the ISSN register, so record it exactly as assigned.