[cc-community] scientific publishing on the internet

Terry Hancock hancock at anansispaceworks.com
Thu May 22 12:52:43 EDT 2008


Jim Baker wrote:
> In the interest of quickly publishing novel ideas related to 
> educational technology and educational system models, I would like to
>  put this material without peer review on my web site.

Sensible.

> What are the hazards that others will plagiarize me?

Well, it's easier to find than print material, but otherwise, about the
same. Of course, it's also that much easier to _expose_ plagiarism,
since anyone can check Google for phrases from a paper and find the
original.

> I realize I can place a copyright notice at the bottom of the page,

Yes.

> is that now moot on the web?

No.

> Is work published on the web considered potentially interesting (or
> not) but otherwise worthless to the scientific community?

To whom?

Scientists have been using internet publishing since the 1980s,
especially in astronomy and physics. Biologists have been using large
online databases of gene sequences since the early 1990s. Electronic
preprints and reprints of papers are so common we now call them "e-prints".

Wikipedia articles are frequently maintained by scientists at either
graduate or post-graduate levels, and often used by educators. As far as
there being a danger due to a lack of review, that's primarily a problem
for students and the general public -- professionals are usually
well-enough trained to do their own review and fact-checking as needed.

Note also that the credibility hazard has been greatly exaggerated by
the media and competing stakeholders. In reality, Wikipedia is
incredibly accurate and comprehensive -- comparable to any print
encyclopedia (except that it is MUCH larger). If it has a great failing,
it is readability.

As for the quality of your research, that is your responsibility. If
you've done your homework, have proper controls and no holes in your
reasoning, then your work will stand on its own merit. Putting it on the
web will mean that people have access to it. Make your data available,
and readers can check your conclusions themselves. The web _is_ a review
process.

Cheers,
Terry




-- 
Terry Hancock (hancock at AnansiSpaceworks.com)
Anansi Spaceworks http://www.AnansiSpaceworks.com



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