Introduction to Volume 5, Issue 3 of topiCS

Abstract

This issue of topiCS is dedicated to “Computational Models of Natural Language.” The short introduction by Topic Editors John Hale (Cornell) and David Reitter (PSU) is enticing and I urge those of you who, like me, do not do research in language to take a few minutes to read it through. You might pause at their figure 1, which shows “thematic overlap” among the papers of this topic. Some of these overlaps, such as “eye movements,” “cognitive architecture,” “working memory,” and “connectionism,” are core topics in cognitive science, suggesting that the theoretical and methodological issues discussed in these papers may be relevant to a broad range of cognitive scientists. Also in this issue, we publish a short letter by Ken Koedinger (CMU) that discusses the DataShop data repository. This letter is in response to Pitt and Tang's paper (topiCS 2013, Vol. 5, Issue 1), “What Should Be the Data Sharing Policy of Cognitive Science?” topiCS encourages letters and commentaries on all topics, and proposals for new topics. Letters are typically 400–1,000 words (maximum of two published pages) and will be published without abstract or references (possibly 1–2 but usually none). Commentaries are often solicited by Topic Editors prior to the publication of their topic. However, commentaries after publication are also considered and should range between 1,000 and 2,000 words. Most commentaries would not have an abstract and would not include many references. If you have a letter for topiCS, please send it directly to me at grayw@rpi.edu. If you have an idea for a commentary, you might wish to send me a short note first. The Editor and the Senior Editorial Board (SEB) members are constantly searching for new and exciting topics for topiCS. Feel free to open communications with a short note to me or an SEB member (SEB members are listed under the Editorial Board heading on the publisher's homepage for topiCS) and be sure to consult the topiCS FAQ page, http://csjarchive.cogsci.rpi.edu/topiCS/FAQs.html, for Preparing a Proposal for topiCS.