This text introduces the Forum on Scientific Articles and Scientific Output in Public Health in Brazil, which includes three articles and a postscript. Based on a comparative analysis of important periodicals in the Public Health field in Brazil, in addition to a reflection on the meaning of "scientific article", the papers provide important backing for an understanding of the output and dissemination of scientific knowledge in the field of Public Health. The analyses reveal specificities among the areas and communities that comprise the field of Public Health, besides pointing to the need for a constant critique of the modalities used in publishing knowledge. The forum's reflections are directly linked to current discussions on the strategies for evaluating scientific output in Brazil, particularly the evaluation of the graduate studies system, where a major portion of the country's science and technology is produced.