Journal Description

General information

Welcome to website of the American Journal of Physics (AJP). AJP publishes papers that meet the needs and intellectual interests of college and university physics teachers. Contents include novel approaches to classroom and laboratory instruction, insightful articles on topics in classical and modern physics, apparatus notes, historical or cultural topics, book reviews, resource letters, and award talks. It was established in 1933 under the title the American Physics Teacher, which covers Volumes 1 through 7. The name was changed to the American Journal of Physics in 1940.

Audience and Mission

The mission of the American Journal of Physics (AJP) is to publish articles on the educational and cultural aspects of physics that are useful, interesting, and accessible to a diverse audience of physics educators and researchers who are generally reading outside their specialties in order to broaden their understanding of physics and to expand and enhance their pedagogical toolkits at the undergraduate and graduate levels. We particularly encourage manuscripts that discuss projects and activities that can be used directly or indirectly in a classroom or laboratory setting.

See the AJP Statement of Editorial Policy for a more complete description of the types of manuscripts that are appropriate for AJP.

Publication and Access

The American Journal of Physics is a publication of the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT). Issues are published 12 times per year. Members and nonmembers are equally welcome to submit manuscripts, and author membership status is not a criterion for manuscript acceptance. Still, we strongly encourage authors to join AAPT in order to obtain personal access to AAPT's journals, receive other professional benefits of membership, and support the publication of AJP and the other worthwhile endeavors of AAPT. Special rates are available for international members.

Online access is through Scitation and requires either institutional credentials or registration and a separate login from your AAPT membership. This link may also be used to sign up for email alerts for new issues or for papers on specific topics. New members receive an email from Scitation with registration information. Subscriptions include the entire AJP backfile. If you need assistance with online journal access, contact the Scitation help desk at help@scitation.org.

Individual members have the option of receiving print copies of the journals for an additional fee. If you have included print copies of the journals, they will arrive in your mailbox 4-6 weeks after you join. Additional postage is required to mail journals to addresses outside of North America.

Questions regarding missing issues of AJP from institutions should be sent to subs@aip.org, and from AAPT members to membership@aapt.org.