monografische

Monografische is the German adjectival form derived from Monografie, used to describe works or aspects relating to a monograph. In scholarly and bibliographic contexts, a monograph is a self-contained scholarly work that concentrates on a single subject, field, or aspect, and is intended to be read independently of other works. Monografische publications are typically authored by one person or a small group and published as a standalone book rather than as part of a serial publication.

Characteristics of monografische works include a defined scope, a unified argument or narrative, substantial length, and a formal structure featuring an introduction, methodology, discussion, conclusions, and a bibliography or index. They often undergo peer review and aim for a coherent, comprehensive treatment of their topic. Materials such as appendices, figures, and tables may accompany the text. The term is commonly used in academic disciplines, humanities and social sciences, as well as in cataloging and library contexts.

Monografische publications are distinguished from serials (journals, magazines) and from edited volumes (Sammelbänden) that collect chapters by different authors without a single unified authorial voice. In library catalogs, items are labeled as monographs and are cataloged separately from periodicals. The concept extends to digital formats as well, where monographic works may be published as eBooks or online editions with the same single-topic focus and cohesive argument.

Etymology: Monografie comes from Greek monos “alone” and graphein “to write,” reflecting the self-contained, single-subject nature of these works. The term underlines the contrast with multi-author collections or continuing serial publications.