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: [email protected] > ALPSP Website http://www.alpsp.org > > Learned Publishing is now online, free of charge, at > www.learned-publishing.org > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "David Goodman" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > 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: [email protected] > > > 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: [email protected] -- 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: [email protected]
