harnad@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (S. R. Harnad) (03/22/90)
CALL FOR SQUIBS
PSYCOLOQUY (Bitnet) now has a moderated Usenet twin, sci.psychology.digest.
With this we enter the second, experimental phase in exploring the vast
potential of this new medium for scholarly communication, under the
sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (see forthcoming
articles in the APA Monitor and Science Agenda).
Note that this is the last time PSYCOLOQUY will appear on the
unmoderated newsgroup, sci.psychology. To receive it from now on you
must subscribe to sci.psychology.digest (or listserv@tcsvm.bitnet
for the Bitnet version -- this does not affect Bitnet subscribers).
PSYCOLOQUY/sci.psychology.digest is now calling for "squibs" -- brief
postings of new ideas or findings in any area related to psychology,
cognitive science or neuroscience on which you wish to invite peer
discussion. Note the "peer." All contributions must be serious and
informed, as contributions to refereed journals are; each posting
will be peer-reviewed by the member of the editorial board specializing
in its subject matter. (Nominations for the board are also invited;
self-nominations should be accompanied by a CV).
Use this medium to "pilot" new ideas and findings with your peers the
world over. You will find that the potential speed and interactiveness of
"scholarly skywriting" matches much more closely the natural speed and
interactiveness of human thought than the slow turnaround times of
conventional publication. Its scope is also global and interdisciplinary
to a degree that has never before been possible. And yet, unlike "live" oral
symposia, it has the constraints of the written medium (and peer
review); so there is still a premium on reflection and answerability.
The objective is eventually to draw the best minds in the field into
active participation in this medium, even those who still find
computers too unfriendly, by demonstrating its revolutionary potential
in the evolution of ideas.
Postings will be classified by subject matter, with informative
subject headers that make it easy to browse or skip. (Your format
suggestions are welcome.) Conventional bboard material -- abstracts,
tech report notices, coneferences, journal contents, employment notices
-- will continue to appear but will not be archived. The only form of
contribution that will be archived electronically (and available by
anonymous ftp) will be the peer-reviewed, scholarly, scientific and
professional commentary, in the style of the "open peer commentary"
feature of Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS, which one of the
co-editors of PSYCOLOQUY, happens to edit).
Ongoing discussions will have their own separate postings, with
a recognizable identifying header, for those who wish to follow
only them. (If an especially useful discussion archive on a particular
topic evolves, I may publish it, with the contributors' permission, in
Behavioral and Brain Sciences.) At first each archived files will be
identified only by its subject header and posting date, but
eventually a more formal citation format will be adopted
(suggestions are again welcome).
The ideal length for a squib is not much more than a screenful, but
longer gems will not be rejected because of length alone. If length
gets out of hand, however, only the author's summaries of long
contributions will actually be posted, while the full file will
be available by anonymous ftp to those who are following the
discussion.
Co-Editors:
(scientific discussion) (professional/clinical discussion)
Stevan Harnad Perry London
Psychology Department Dean, Graduate School of
Princeton University Applied and Professional Psychology
Rutgers University
--
Stevan Harnad Department of Psychology Princeton University
harnad@clarity.princeton.edu srh@flash.bellcore.com
harnad@elbereth.rutgers.edu harnad@pucc.bitnet (609)-921-7771