About the Journal

Historical Records of Australian Science is a bi-annual journal that publishes two kinds of unsolicited manuscripts relating to the history of science, pure and applied, in Australia, New Zealand and the southwest Pacific.

• Historical Articles–original scholarly pieces of peer-reviewed research of no more than 8000 words in length (without consultation with the editors) (including references).
• Historical Documents–either hitherto unpublished or obscurely published primary sources (word limit subject to negotiation), along with a peer-reviewed scholarly introduction of between 4000 and 6000 words (including references). The document(s) will appear as supplementary material and the scholarly introduction will appear within the journal.

The journal also publishes:

• HRAS Review–essays by leading scholars on current areas of research and/or debates about theoretical and methodological issues in the history of science in Australia, New Zealand and the southwest Pacific, commissioned by the Editor(s).
• Biographical Memoirs–biographies of deceased Fellows of the Academy of Australian Sciences, commissioned by the Academy.
• Book Reviews–critical appraisals of recently published books (and other media) on the history of science in Australia, New Zealand and the southwest Pacific.
• Annual Bibliography of the History of Science in Australia and the Southwest Pacific – a list of print and digital publications arranged by subject.

The first issue of the journal (under the title Records of the Australian Academy of Science), appeared in 1966, and the current name was adopted in 1980. Issues were published annually 1980–90, and bi-annually thereafter. Initially four issues made up a volume, but since 2004, the two issues published each year have been deemed to make up a volume. The online content extends back to Volume 1, Number 1, 1966.

Society Links

Historical Records of Australian Science is published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of the Australian Academy of Science.

Publishing Model: Hybrid. Open Access options available.

The National Museum of Australia has joined forces with the Australian Academy of Science and its National Committee for History and Philosophy of Science to establish a biennial essay prize, known as The Mike Smith Student Prize for the History of Australian Science or Australian Environmental History.

Winning entries are considered for publication in Historical Records of Australian Science.

Follow the journal on social media using the hashtag #HistoricalRecordsAS

Indexed/Abstracted in:

CSIRO Publishing publishes and distributes scientific, technical and health science books, magazines and journals from Australia to a worldwide audience and conducts these activities autonomously from the research of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of, and should not be attributed to, the Australian Academy of Science, the publisher or CSIRO.