CURRENT ISSUE		How to Read JOM
THIS MONTH'S THEME: Processing Light Metals		Navigate to an issue of choice via the JOM issue archive. Depending on the issue and your membership status, the following access options may be available: HTML format A considerable amount of JOM is available in open-access HTML format. Whole-issue PDFs from January 2006 through present Individual-paper PDFs from October 1997 through present (via Springer) Non-TMS members can test drive the journal via a trial subscription of JOM, which includes JOM Extra. Or Join TMS today for full immediate access. To have the table of contents e-mailed to you monthly, sign up for our Alerting Service via Springer.

Published monthly by The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS), JOM is a technical journal devoted to exploring the many aspects of materials science and engineering.

JOM reports scholarly work that explores the state-of-the-art processing, fabrication, design, and application of metals, ceramics, plastics, composites, and other materials. In pursuing this goal, JOM strives to balance the interests of the laboratory and the marketplace by reporting academic, industrial, and government-sponsored work from around the world.

What does JOM contain?
The editorial scope includes archival-quality technical papers, general overviews, economic outlooks, developments in engineering education, articles on professional concerns, archaeotechnology papers, research and business updates, meetings announcements, interviews, opinion pieces, conference and literature reviews, software coverage, and news about TMS. Each issue thoroughly explores at least two technical topics by presenting three to six articles on each subject. In this way, JOM provides well-rounded coverage of an array of materials-related subjects, from minerals characterization and developments in extraction to the production of advanced electronic materials and the performance of tomorrow's aerospace structural components.

How "virtual" is JOM?
Very. The issue is available via the web in a number of formats and with a variety of enhancements.

• PDF Format: TMS members have access to the fully searchable JOM issue archive at the Springer's JOM web site. Additionally, many past issues have been compiled as single-issue PDFs and are available to TMS members only via the JOM Issue Archive above.
• HTML Format: A considerable amount of JOM is available in open-access HTML format. This includes at least one feature article from the issue each month, Material Matters articles, our classified advertising, and more. See the On-Line Content box above for all of the relevant links. Occasionally, we will publish an entire technical topic exclusively on the web under the banner of JOM-e. Other exclusive on-line content includes our book reviews.
• Multimedia Enhanced: There are some things that you just cannot communicate in print, so many JOM articles feature on-line supplements such as videos, animations, and sound files. These enhancements are accessed via our page-turning issues and our PDF issue files.

What does the name JOM mean?
From 1949 through 1988, the journal was named Journal of Metals. With materials systems becoming commonplace and with the journal frequently covering composites, plastics, and other materials, a name change was clearly in order. Thus, a decision was made to institutionalize the shorthand version (JOM) instead of totally confusing the technical community by adopting a new name such as Journal of Materials, Journal of Engineered Materials, or some such variation on a rather limited theme. Note: The name of the journal is pronounced as three separate letters (J-O-M) rather than a single-syllable word ("jom").

How does the editorial process work?
To facilitate a wide scope of coverage, JOM uses a Technical Emphasis Calendar, which is assembled by the editorial staff in consultation with the JOM Advisory Committee. Each issue of JOM focuses on one theme comprising two or three technical topics, with each topic being sponsored by one or more technical committees. The editor or advisor acquires a prospective manuscript, both review it and consider the merit and compatibility of the paper with the proposed technical emphasis topic. Usually, this process takes about a month.

Potential authors should formally notify the editor of the desire to publish by submitting a 300-word abstract, probable title, and a brief biographical sketch. An abstract-submission form is available on the web. Anyone wishing to publish in JOM should follow the guidelines established in the JOM Author's Kit, a capsule version (sans samples) of which is available here. The Author's Kit, supplied on request, features detailed information on communication, manuscript preparation, and publication procedure. It also provides example articles. Manuscripts are scheduled according to the Technical Emphasis Calendar. If an article is not compatible with an upcoming topic, it must be very general in content to qualify for consideration as a non-topically aligned paper.

Who reads JOM?
Written for academic and industrial audiences alike, the journal is distributed to all members of TMS as well as nonmember subscribers; as a result, more than 10,000 individual readers see the journal each monthly. Additionally, the journal reaches more than 3,000 institutions and libraries. The readership consists of scientific, engineering, and management professionals and students from the manufacturing, processing, research, and academic sectors of the international materials community.

Does JOM accept advertising?
Gladly. The staff box above provides the contact details of those individuals who will be happy to assist in placing print ads, web ads (including those with multimedia enhancements), and other means of communicating with the JOM reader community. Please download our Media Kit for greater detail.