Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
The marginal cost of creating an e-version of p-journals is relatively small.
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For
example, the infrastructure needed to prepare, index and abstract articles, and mar-
ket the journal are common to the p- and e-versions. Academic publishers charge an
additional fee for a combined paper and online access (for example, in 2004, Kluwer
charged 20% extra for combined access to Information Systems Frontiers) and re-
quire subscription to the paper version. Current examples of such co-existence are
the ACM Digital Libraries, Kluwer online, and INFORMS online. In hybrid jour-
nals, the material remains the traditional research paper. Articles are sequential in
nature since they have to conform to both paper and electronic media. The means
of distribution are mixed. Publishers use physical distribution for paper copies and
Internet access for the electronic version. Paper and electronic articles are bundled
into issues and delivered periodically. E-versions of the articles can include exten-
sions with additional modes such as hyperlinks, images, video and audio (e.g., the
International Journal of Robotics Research).
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This approach not only justifies the
additional fees charged but also adds value to the combined access.
4.2.3 Advanced Electronicity E-Journal
In advanced electronicity e-journals, the material is innovative
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compared to
p-journals. Using the additional space available, e-journals introduce additional ma-
terial such as programs, algorithms, test data, experimental data, and videos of ex-
periments or talking heads. Articles are intuitive in nature using hyperlinks. Portions
of the articles can be stored in various locations and linked (e.g.,
[36]
). Articles are
posted when they are ready, reducing cycle time. The modes are multiple and include
three-dimensional images, video, audio, color, or pictures (for example see
[57]
).
Articles can also be published in several versions, at several levels of complexity
(e.g.,
[21]
) each targeting a different audience. For example, an article might contain
two levels of theory and two levels of practical information. A researcher chooses to
read the expanded theoretical section and the summary of the implications to prac-
tice, while a practitioner reads a summary of the theory and a detailed section on
practical implications.
Advanced electronicity e-journals arise when scholars need to publish innovative
material. In addition, publishing these types of articles in paper forms does not make
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Kluwer estimates the start-up cost to create the first issue of a p-journal to be of the order of $200,000.
We estimate that adding a web version should involve an investment of less than $30,000 for 3 months of
web developer time, a server, and miscellaneous startup and advertising costs.
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http://www.ijrr.org/electronic.html
[last accessed June 16th, 2005].
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Here the term innovative refers to the inclusion of new formats, networked structure or living schol-
arship. Advanced electronicity e-journals like replacement e-journals can also include innovative (uncon-
ventional) content.
