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[Citing electronic sources in scientific articles].
1Medisch Centrum Rijnmond-Zuid, locatie Clara, afd. Klinische Pathologie, Rotterdam. walvoort@ntvg.nl
Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Geneeskunde
|September 18, 2002
Summary
Scientific journals now accept electronic references, but their volatility poses challenges for verification. Until electronic sources are permanent and accessible, traditional print and CD-ROM references remain essential for scientific integrity.
Area of Science:
- Bibliometrics
- Scientific Communication
- Information Science
Background:
- The advent of electronic information sources in scientific publishing presents new challenges.
- Ensuring the permanence and accessibility of cited information is crucial for scientific reproducibility and validation.
Discussion:
- Electronic references, while useful for disseminating timely information, lack the stability of traditional print or CD-ROM formats.
- The inability to guarantee readers access to the exact information cited undermines scientific discourse and verification.
- The journal's editorial policy addresses this by accepting electronic citations as 'written communications' while reserving the formal reference list for stable media.
Key Insights:
- Scientific progress relies on the ability of readers to access and verify cited information.
- The inherent volatility of early electronic sources necessitates a cautious approach to their integration into scientific literature.
- A hybrid referencing system is proposed to balance the benefits of electronic dissemination with the need for archival stability.
Outlook:
- Future developments in digital archiving and persistent identifiers may resolve the challenges posed by electronic references.
- The journal anticipates a future where electronic scientific information is stored in an unalterable and generally accessible permanent form.
- This policy aims to uphold scientific standards while adapting to evolving information technologies.