EDITOR: GEORGE H. MORRISON EDITORIAL HEADQUARTERS 1155 Sixteenth St.. N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 Phone: 202-872-4570 Teletype: 710-8220 151 Executive Editor: Josephine M. Petruzzi Managing Editor: Barbara Cassatt Assistant Editor: Stuart A. Borman Editorial Assistants: Jacquelyn Danes, Ann M. Ramish Production Manager: Leroy L. Corcoran Art Director: John V . Sinnett Staff Artist: Linda M. Mattingly Copy Editor: Gail M. Mortenson Circulation: Cynthia G. Smith Journals Dept., Columbus, Ohio
Associate Head: Marianne Brogan Assfstant Editor: Rodney L. Temos Advisory Board L. S. Birks, Donald D. Bly, Peter Carr, Georges Guiochon, Kurt F. J. Heinrich, Bruce R. Kowalski, Robert A. Libby, Marvin Margoshes, Robert S. McDonald, James W. Mitchell, Royce W. Murray, Richard S. Nicholson, Garry A. Rechnitz, Walter Slavin, John P. Walters
Contributing Editor, Instrumentation: Andrew A. Husovsky Instrumentation Advisory Panel: Nelson L. Alpert, Stuart P. Cram, Catherine Fenselau, Gary M. Hieftje, Tomas Hirschfeld, C. David Miller, Carter L. Olson, Thomas H. Ridgway, Yair Talmi The Analytical Approach Advisory Panel: Edward C. Dunlop, Jeanette G. Grasselli, Robert A. Hofstader. Wilbur D. Shults Regulations. Analytical Divlsion Ad Hoc Committee: Warren B. Crummett (Chairman). Fred Freeberg (Column Contributor)
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Director: D. H. Michael Bowen Journals: Charles R. Bertsch Production: Elmer Pusey, Jr. Research and Development Seldon W Terrant Manuscript requirements are published in the January 1980 issue, page 219. Manuscripts for publication (4 copies) should be submitted to ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY at the ACS Washington address.
cric ‘c hemistry Communication of Research T h e rapid expansion of research in analytical chemistry and related areas during the past decade has produced significant changes in the methods of communicating results to the scientific community. Since communication of these results is a key element in the building and preservation of scientific knowledge, it is useful to examine some of these changes. T h e two major methods of communication are oral presentations a t professional meetings and publication of the completed research in scientific journals. T h e traditional scholarly method of publication in journals using peer review to guarantee high quality remains the preferred path toward professional advancement and provides permanent accessibility. One of the most dramatic changes in this era of increased mobility has been the explosive proliferation of unreviewed oral presentations at an ever-increasing number of international, national, regional, local, etc. meetings. An examination of the listing of meetings for 1980 in the A pages of ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRYreveals an average of six important analytically oriented conferences per month, peaking during the summer months in such exotic locales as Cannes, Nairobi, Venice, and San Francisco. While verbal communication serves an important function for those fortunate enough to participate, there are limitations to its usefulness. For example, unless the presentation is followed by a comprehensive, formal publication, needless duplication of research may result. Published literature has proliferated as well, accommodating the increased number of scientists in the field. New journals, often highly specialized or with novel interdisciplinary titles, provide a useful function in offering new outlets for authors in both established and newly defined fields of research. T h e use of modern computer retrieval methods has become a great help to the researcher for extracting relevant items from the large mass of published literature. However, J. M. Ziman (Science, 1980, 208, 369-71) points out that a major goal of the reader should be to maintain current awareness of significant papers in a range of topics that exceeds his immediate research interest and extends to the various peripheral categories that might still be relevant to his specialty: “The scientist should want to see most of the very best articles over a fairly wide subject range as soon as they are published.” T o achieve this current awareness in an ever-expanding sea of literature, the reader must depend heavily on the smaller number of core journals published in his discipline. Regular perusal of ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRYis a most effective way for the analytical chemist to maintain a reasonable level of current awareness in a rapidly expanding field of research.
The American Chemical Society and its editors assume no responsibility for the statements and opinions advanced by contributors. Views expressed in the editorials are those of the editors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the American Chemical Society.
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