Just 2 cents on submitting electronically. I think it is grand when a
journal accepts my paper for publication, and asks for an electronic
version. That can greatly reduce the incidence of errors, making it
easier to catch the few remaining ones in later checks.
What is *not* so much fun is that journals are starting to ask me to
submit the original in electronic format. As I (and I would wager most
people) submit far fewer papers than I review, what this eventually means
is that the journals ask me, the reviewer, to print out the other people's
papers. This has the following structure--"Hey, Potential Reviewer, will
please review this paper, and, do us the favor of printing out the 50
pages on your own dime?" This, for a dozen to two dozen papers a year?
Journals are not the only people off-loading chores associated with the
favors they are asking onto the people they are asking to do the favor.
Students e-mail me dissertation prospectuses--often at the last minute,
with some kind of basically inconsiderate just-in-time delivery
philosophy. I could go on.
I have no hope this trend will abate. But I did want to take this
moment, occasioned by Clive's last e-mail, to give a final cheer to all
those journals who still request and accept paper submissions, and all
those people aware that when they ask someone to do them a favor, they
should make it cost the favor-doer as little as possible, and perhaps, if
possible, only the time to do the favor, and not time needed to set
themselves up so they *can* do the favor. Hip-hip-hooray!
Sam
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