大陸架研究集中于處理物理海洋學、化學、生態學、沉積學等原始研究成果的文章，以及對大陸架研究的更多應用方面的貢獻。重點放在跨學科的面向過程的貢獻上，并鼓勵發表具有更廣泛適用性的創新實驗研究結果。大陸架研究包括偶爾的評論文章，并納入一節關于筆記，儀器和方法。此外，論文在發表后可進行長達3個月的書面討論，討論和作者的答復均可發表。大陸架研究是海洋學一攬子計劃的一部分-選項1，包括大陸架研究、深海研究第一部分和第二部分、海洋系統期刊、海洋學文獻綜述和海洋學進展。詳情請參閱海洋學軟件包-選項1。大陸架研究也可作為海洋學一攬子- -選擇2的一部分，其中包括海洋學一攬子- -選擇1的五種期刊以及海洋文獻審查光盤。詳情請參閱海洋學軟件包-選項2。

Continental Shelf Research concentrates on articles dealing with the results of original research in physical oceanography, chemistry, ecology, sedimentology, etc., together with contributions on more applied aspects of continental shelf research. Emphasis is placed on interdisciplinary process-oriented contributions, and encouragement is given to the publication of the results of innovative experimental studies with more general applicability. Continental Shelf Research includes occasional review articles as well as incorporating a section on Notes, Instrumentation and Methods. Furthermore, papers are open for written discussion for up to three months following publication and both the discussion and the author's response are published.Continental Shelf Research is available as part of the Oceanography Package - Option 1 which comprises Continental Shelf Research, Deep Sea Research Parts I & II, Journal of Marine Systems, Oceanographic Literature Review and Progress in Oceanography. See Oceanography Package - Option 1 for details. Continental Shelf Research is also available as part of the Oceanography Package - Option 2 which comprises the five journals in Oceanography Package - Option 1 along with Marine Literature Review CD-ROM. See Oceanography Package - Option 2 for details.