Mainstreaming Electronic Journals Through Improved Indexing: Prospects for the Social Sciences

Abstract

s in Anthropology Unlike EconLit, Abstracts in Anthropology has just begun to examine the issues involved with indexing electronic journals. While it is not current indexing any e-titles, the editors and publisher have begun to investigate issues that need to be addressed as a first step. Key concerns are fickle URLs and longevity, although they recognize that inclusion of short-lived publications with real research value may be worthwhile if the title can be accessed in perpetuity. Currently the publisher is considering making the contents of Abstracts in Anthropology available on the Web, with the full text of abstracts which users can view using Adobe Acrobat software available via password. For the subscription price, the subscriber would get a password and unlimited access for a set period, such as a year. Subscribers who choose not to renew their subscription would no longer have access to subsequent issues but would retain access to the volumes for which they have paid. [interesting information, but what does it have to do with incluson of e-journals? Is this relevant, or just an aside? If not relevant, omit.] The editors are also concerned about how to properly cite an online article and with the quality of the publications in question. Some electronic journals claim to be peer-reviewed, but staff say that the contents appear so quickly that it is hard to believe that publication standards have been upheld. They believe that doubt on the part of researchers concerning the recognition of e-journals for promotion and tenure probably affects the quality of the manuscripts which are submitted. For certain subfields of the discipline, such as archaeology, the editors are concerned that the quality and resolution of illustrations may not compare with those available in print. The editors suggest that they are unlikely to include electronic