Electronic Journals
AD140 Brendan RappleCollege of Advancing Studies 29 Jan., 2003
WWW
• The Internet is beginning to alter radically how numerous scholars are
» accessing, » processing, » and exchanging information.
E-Journals• In addition, there are now hundreds of electronic
journals -- a new medium that will change much of the nature of academic publishing.
• Not only in scientific and technological areas, the social sciences and humanities are also well catered to.
Examples• Bryn Mawr Classical Review News
• Ullam Quarterly
• Funhouse! The Cyberzine of Degenerate Pop Culture
• Solstice: An Electronic Journal of Geography and Mathematics
• Education Policy Analysis Archives
Still, Relatively Few
Bear in mind:
– the number of serious academic electronic journals is still insignificant compared to the huge numbers of print scholarly journals.
Important Distinction
• E-journals that have print counterparts.
• E-journals that do not.
Process of Getting an Article Published
Similarities Between E- and Print Journals
Many e-journals are very similar to print journals:– issued on a regular basis;
– have editors, editorial boards and editorial advisors;
– suitable submitted papers are sent out to referees for comment;
– a limited number of articles (perhaps five to ten) are published in each issue.
Similarities Between E- and Print Journals
• Online articles often have a very similar appearance to those published in print journals.
• Articles are likely to be read in a linear fashion.
• Articles have references or footnotes to which the reader can refer for further research.
• Articles are likely to be of a standard length: around 3,000-8,000 words in most cases.
Some Benefits of E-Journals
» Easier to access -- no need to go to library
» Price
» Speed
» Feedback
Some Benefits of E-Journals
• Fewer restrictions, e.g. with respect to
• the number of articles in an issue
• their length
• their presentation
Some Benefits of E-Journals
• Electronic publication allows for mass customization of articles: there can be a
» a one-paragraph abstract,
» a one-page executive summary,
» a four-page overview,
» a 20-page article,
» a 50-page appendix.• All aimed at different levels of readers.
Some Benefits of E-Journals
• Broader Treatment:
GraphicsAudioVideoAnimated Graphics
• Thus, "what we will have is not simply an electronic version of a paper
journal, but an entirely new creature."
Some Benefits of E-Journals
• Eliminates need for photocopying
• Easy to download
• Easier to extract information
Some Benefits of E-Journals
• Skip to Actual Article Mentioned in Footnote
• Greater Number of Potential Readers
Some Benefits of E-Journals
• Owners of e-journals can keep track of how often an article is requested by readers.
• Electronic journals do not take up space on library shelves
Some Benefits of E-Journals
• The greatest advantage is that they facilitate true peer review.
• More and more "issues" of electronic journals consist of just one article.
• This might be appealing to many scholars.
• In traditional academic journals most readers are only interested in a single article.
Possible Problems with E-Journals
• Connectivity Problems:
– Power shut-downs– Malfunctioning software– System failures– Network breakdowns– Viruses, etc...
Possible Problems with E-Journals
• Relationship of Publishing in E-Journals to » Tenure
» Promotion
» Research grants, funding etc.
Possible Problems with E-Journals
• Computer illiteracy
• Some software not very user friendly
• Help in manuals or on-screen not always understandable
• Meddling with the text
• How are articles to be cited?
Indexing of E-Journals
• Not all e-journals are indexed or abstracted.
• Some scholars are less interested in submitting work to non-indexed journals.
Elitist or Egalitarian Vehicle• Many Lesser Developed Countries are behind their more
developed fellows in having widespread access to computers.
• Thus, US scholars may not easily transmit their findings to many of their South American, African, and Asian colleagues through electronic journals.
• On the other hand, perhaps electronic journals will prove the savior of scholarship in nations where limited budgets have made it very difficult to subscribe to the ever costlier print journals.