Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
6.5.1 Paper Replacement E-Journals
Paper replacement e-journals can be divided into two groups:
1. E-journals run by commercial publishers or professional societies. These
e-journals are often peer-reviewed and indexed.
2. E-journals run by entrepreneurs, research centers, or privately. These e-journals
are usually not peer-reviewed and not indexed.
Peer review process
. Paper replacement e-journals are unlikely to involve major
changes to the review process since the articles are similar in their look and structure
to traditional paper manuscripts. A possible exception for some is that in their attempt
to reduce cycle time, they may ask for speedier reviews, thus increasing reviewers'
pressure and workload.
T&P committees
are more likely to treat articles in paper replacement (unlike ad-
vanced electronicity) e-journals as traditional paper articles since the articles look
and feel like traditional articles. Articles can be printed and included as part of the
portfolio presented to the committee. Therefore, T&P committees are not expected
to change their guidelines for these journals. However, e-articles that appear in non-
indexed and non-reviewed journals will not be accepted by T&P committees as a
scholarly publication.
Gatekeepers
who control what is published will want to exert the same control
as they currently exert over traditional p-journals. Because space in highly ranked
journals is a rare and costly commodity, pages in these journals are highly valued.
53
Scholars that control this commodity are powerful. The unlimited space available
to e-journals (regardless of their acceptance rate) de-values the worth of the scarce
commodity, thereby de-valuating the importance of the gatekeepers. In addition,
gatekeepers are more likely to object to e-journals run by entrepreneurial ventures
because these journals usually target markets and topics outside of the discipline's
main paradigm. Therefore, if these journals are successful, they are more likely to
diminish the gatekeepers' power and control.
6.5.2 Advanced Electronicity E-Journals
Advanced electronicity e-journals present the same challenges as paper replace-
ment e-journals (Section
6.5.1
) for reviewers, T&P committees and gatekeepers. In
addition, the use of multimedia, network structure, and living scholarship require
changes to reviewers' approaches and potentially to T&P guidelines.
53
The availability of pages in highly ranked journals can be compared to beach front properties. Since
the buildable coastline is limited, these properties are much more expensive than comparable properties
two streets over.
