Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2000 14:15:24 GMT From: "Duncan A Thomas" Organization: Manchester University To: gcf@npac.syr.edu **** EDITORS’ QUESTIONNAIRE **** TO: Name: Professor Geoffrey C Fox Journal: Concurrency FUNDAMENTAL REVIEW OF UNIVERSITY RESEARCH IN THE UNITED KINGDOM Dear Professor Fox, This Email has been sent to you to request your help with a study that PREST (Policy Research in Engineering, Science and Technology, the University of Manchester) has been asked to perform by the Higher Education Funding Council for England. This study forms part of HEFCE’s current fundamental review of research in UK universities. The reason your help is being sought is that, for most fields, the quality of articles in refereed journals is the most important factor in establishing the rating of a university in a Unit of Assessment (subject area). The journal that you edit is one of the five most frequently cited in entries for the RAE in at least one unit of assessment. Your co-operation with this survey would be greatly appreciated. Even if you were unable to give precise answers, your impressions would also be helpful. [It is possible that you may have already received this questionnaire by post - however, we would be happy to obtain your opinions as a reply to this Email. Please append your responses as appropriate. We will also provide all respondents with a report on the findings from this element of the study.] Yours sincerely, Duncan Thomas (Sent on behalf of Professor Luke Georghiou) ============================== PART A: FUTURE OF ACADEMIC PUBLISHING 1.Please comment on the likelihood/relevance of the following hypotheses for the field(s) covered by your journal: (a) Conventional academic publishing will be largely replaced by electronic delivery of articles published under journal titles. Not Likely. A "Journal" is not a useful "packaging" (b) Conventional academic publishing will be largely replaced by the free electronic distribution of a mixture of articles, shorter more rapid communications and interactive discussions. Likely but probably not the whole answer (c) In future, the principal function of a journal will be to provide a reviewing/ quality control process. Difficult to find any other reason for Journals (d) Quality control will be provided from an alternative source. Electronic communication/collaboration could lead to different refereeing models but still with journals (of the future) as implementation (e) Indicators of socio-economic performance (e.g. industrial income, patents, effects on policy/regulation) will become more important indicators of academic performance than academic publications. Doubtful. These measures are very unreliable 2. Are there any other important current or future trends in academic publishing in your field? I wish I knew answer to 1 -- then I could reposition my journal Rapid change in fields of greatest interest important in computer science Means boutique journals (like mine) are not so well positioned ============================== PART B: EFFECTS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM RESEARCH ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 3. Have the deadlines for eligibility of papers for entry in the RAE (March 1996 and December 2000) affected the pattern of submission of articles from academics based in the UK, and if so, how? Not Obviously 4. Has the RAE led to an increase in the proportion of papers submitted by UK-based researchers? Not obviously 5. If there has been an increase in the number of UK papers submitted relative to other countries (either overall or in the run-up to a deadline), has this affected their probability of selection for publication? 6. Comparing the overall quality of papers with at least one author from the UK published in your journal with papers authored from elsewhere, would you describe the quality as: above average/ about the same/ below average? Below Average 7. Do you have any other comments on the RAE from the perspective of an editor in your field? No -- Didn't know about it Thank you very much for completing this Email questionnaire. Due to the review being conducted on a tight time-scale, we would appreciate the return of your response by email as soon as possible, please, to: duncan.a.thomas@stud.man.ac.uk. Alternatively you may wish to print out your completed response text and Fax to +44 (0)161 273 1123 or post it to us via: Editors’ Questionnaire, PREST, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL. You will be sent a digest of the results of this survey when the study has been completed.