The electronic periodical may be defined as a publication that is not on paper but is rather created and stored by electronic means. That is, the electronic periodical is written, edited, refereed, and distributed by means of machine-readable files that are distributed via a telecommunications system. For the scholar, the electronic periodical may mean faster publication of research and the ability to interact more rapidly with colleagues. For the publisher, electronic periodicals may mean a new avenue of publication, or they may pose a threat to a traditional means of business. A short history of the electronic periodical would begin in the 1970s when the idea grew out of advances in telecommunication conferencing. The first electronic journal, "Mental Workload," was funded by the National Science Foundation. Today's electronic journals are a varied group, representing a wide range of topics and viewpoints, from popular to scholarly. The growing importance of electronic periodicals raises a number of questions and issues. Though one of the great benefits of the electronic medium is its speedy publishing and space available for reader commentary, the question arises as to whether or for how long reader commentary should be preserved. Also, academics are finding themselves asking how electronic publishing compares to traditional publishing in terms of career advancement and prestige. Contains eight references. (TB)