Re: ALPSP Research study on academic journal authors

From: David Goodman <dgoodman_at_PRINCETON.EDU>
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 17:27:01 -0400

My library has just received the two copies it ordered, and I will
contribute a proper review to this list as soon as I've read the book
carefully in detail. I have already noted in my preliminary reading,
that the term in you summary below "high energy physics" should be
replaced by "physics, mathematics, and engineering." I also noted that
fully half of your replies were from full professors or higher, which
does not in my opinion fairly represent the population of active
researchers.



Sally Morris wrote:
>
> Apologies for a very belated response to this.
>
> Although a high percentage did, indeed, state that they considered preprint
> and/or 'postprint' archives important, it was clear from the actual
> responses that, outside the field of high energy physics, most respondents
> had not the faintest idea what was meant by the question. Answers like
> 'pdf' were common.
>
> The change to peer review which was most strongly supported was simply to
> speed it up through electronic communications; there was relatively more
> modest support for making reviewers' names public, or the addition of public
> commentary to supplement peer review.
>
> I am sure most readers of this list appreciate that, as a not-for-profit
> association, we have to cover our costs; thus it was essential to sell the
> report of our research in order to recoup the research costs. Copies are
> still available and may be ordered via our website.
>
> Sally
>
> Sally Morris, Secretary-General
> Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers
> South House, The Street, Clapham, Worthing, West Sussex BN13 3UU, UK
>
> Phone: 01903 871686 Fax: 01903 871457 E-mail: sec-gen_at_alpsp.org
> ALPSP Website http://www.alpsp.org
>
> Learned Publishing is now online, free of charge, at
> www.learned-publishing.org
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David Goodman" <dgoodman_at_PRINCETON.EDU>
> To: <AMERICAN-SCIENTIST-OPEN-ACCESS-FORUM_at_LISTSERVER.SIGMAXI.ORG>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2002 8:38 PM
> Subject: Re: ALPSP Research study on academic journal authors
>
> > Having not yet seen more than the summary and graphs, I take the risk of
> > making erroneous remarks in the context of the entire material, and make
> > these preliminary comments:
> >
> > I.
> > 62% of authors thought "reprint archives" important, and at least 78%
> > thought they would be important in the future. This includes
> > university-based sites and discipline-based sites. For preprint
> > archives, 33% considered them important now, at least 44% in the future.
> > I am pleased, encouraged, and a little surprised that the free access
> > movement has been so persuasive, even outside of the sciences. I had not
> > thought we have come so far.
> >
> > II.
> > At least 45% of those surveyed wanted major changes in the practice of
> > peer review.
> >
> > I do wish the society had considered disseminating the results more
> > important, and partially recovering the cost of the survey and its
> > publication less important. Then they could have made the entire survey
> > available on line, instead of requiring a $200 payment.
> >
> >
> > Sally Morris wrote:
> > >
> > > You will now find details of the latest ALPSP research report, Authors
> > > and Electronic Publishing, on our website (http://www.alpsp.org), from
> where
> > > you can order a copy.
> > >
> > > Sally
> > >
> > > Sally Morris, Secretary-General
> > > Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers
> > > South House, The Street, Clapham, Worthing, West Sussex BN13 3UU, UK
> > >
> > > Phone: 01903 871686 Fax: 01903 871457 E-mail: sec-gen_at_alpsp.org
> > > ALPSP Website http://www.alpsp.org
> > >
> > > Learned Publishing is now online, free of charge, at
> > > http://www.learned-publishing.org
> >
> > --
> > David Goodman
> > Research Librarian and
> > Biological Science Bibliographer
> > Princeton University Library
> > Princeton, NJ 08544-0001
> > phone: 609-258-7785
> > fax: 609-258-2627
> > e-mail: dgoodman_at_princeton.edu

--
David Goodman
Research Librarian and
Biological Science Bibliographer
Princeton University Library
Princeton, NJ 08544-0001
phone: 609-258-7785
fax: 609-258-2627
e-mail: dgoodman_at_princeton.edu
Received on Tue Jun 25 2002 - 22:27:01 BST

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