The Explicator is a peer-reviewed, quarterly journal of literary criticism. It began publication in October 1942 and is now both printed and available in an electronic version. Routledge acquired the journal from Heldref Publications in 2009, and now it is owned by Taylor & Francis. Issues often include between 25 and 30 articles on works of literature, "ranging from ancient Greek and Roman times to our own, from throughout the world." According to a library guide, "As the title of the journal suggests, the focus is on explication, or close readings, of the works. As such, the articles tend to use less jargon and are easier to understand than some other articles in literature studies."