Proceedings of the Geologists' Association (PGA), 2009-2017: a review

This paper reviews the development and content of the Proceedings' of the Geologists' Association (PGA) over the period 2009-2017, a period in which the journal was published by Elsevier and Jim Rose acted as Editor-in-Chief. This is a personal review of activities and content, using aggregate and mean citation and download statistics for the nine year period (not equivalent to impact factor (IF)). The full range of content is quantified and the papers published are grouped into six categories that have characterised the objectives and output of the journal over this period. The six categories consist of (i) Mesozoic and Cainozoic palaeoenvironments and palaeontology, (ii) Quaternary science, geomorphology, climate change and archaeology, (iii) societal relevance. (iv) geoheritage and geoconservation, (v) the history of geology, and (vi) general topics not included in the other groups. In addition to providing a general view of journal content, the review also identifies and examines the impact of the various subjects upon scholarship and end-users (through, respectively, citations and downloads). The paper ends with a view to the future and stresses the importance for geoscience of journals that cover the full scope of the subject and include content that is of relevance to society.