EDITOR: GEORGE H. MORRlSON
‘chemistry
EDlTORiAL 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 Caasatt Associate Editor: Stuart A. Borman Assistant Editors: Marcia S. Cohen, Rani A. George Editorial Assistant: Louise Voress Production Manager: Leroy L. Corcoran Art Director: John V. Sinnett Staff Artist: Linda hil. Mattingly Copy Editor: Gail M. Mortenson Circulation Manager: Cynthia G. Smith Journals Dept., Columbus, Ohlo Associate Head: Marianne Brogan Associate Editor: Rodney L. Temos Advisory Board: Joel A. Carter, Richard S. Danchik, Richard Durst, Oennis H. Evans, Jack W. Frazer, M e n M. Free, Shizuo Fujiwara, Roland F. Hlirsch. Csaba Horvath, Wilbur I. Kaye, Thomas C. O’Haver, Janet Osteryoung, Herbert L. Retcofsky, Robert E. Sievers, Wilhelm Simon, Rudolph H. Stehl lnstrumentatlon Advisory Panel: Edward M. Chait, M. Bonner Ilenton, Raymond E. Dessy. Larry R. Faulkner, Martin S. Frant, Michael L. Gross, Fred E. Lytle, Curt Reimann, Andrew T. Zander Confributing Editor, A/ C lnterface: Raymond E. Dessy The Analytical Appiroach Advisory Panel: Edward C. Dunlop, Robert A. Hofstader, Wilbur D. Shuits Regulatory Affairs, Analytical Division Committee: Curt W. Feimann (Chairman)
‘‘Key’’ Words On a recent popular television program, Andy Rooney presented a humorous satire on the 10 most used words in advertising. One has only to listen to a few of the many TV commercials by which we are continuously bombarded to appreciate the frequency of use and commercial connotations of these words: new or iniproved, natural, light, save, free, rich, real, fresh, extra, and discover. Immediately, specific toothpastes, beers, soaps, foods, drugs, etc. spring to mind, proving the brute power, if not persuasiveness, of the use of these words. Publishing a research paper on a particular aspect of analytical chemistry undoubtedly involves some degree of advertising. A brief review of abstracts of papers appearing in a recent issue of ANALYTICALCHEMISTRYsuggests a comparable list of the 1.0 most used “key” words: optimized (or new or improved), enhanced, smaller (or larger, lower, or higher), sensitive, selective, direct, reliable, inexpensive, fast, and simple. Since one of the criteria for publishing a piece of research in a professional journal is novelty, ,some authors may be tempted to resort to Madison Avenue rhetoric to enhance the acceptance of their work. Fortunately, however, peer review helps to weed out an overenthusiastic presentation of the facts. This review process is one of the most effective ways of protecting the reader. Unfoirtunately, some journals are less critical than others, and somle unreviewed publishing media are blatantly commercial, suggesting the old adage “Let the buyer beware.”
Published by the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 1155 16th Street, 1V.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 Books and Journals Division Director: D. H. Michael Bowen Journals: Charles R. Bertsch Production: Elmer Pusey, Jr. Marketing & Sales: Claud K.Robinson Research and Development: Seidon W. Terrant Manuscript requirements are published in the January 1983 issue, page 171. Manuscripts for publication (4 copies) should be submitted to ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY at the ACS Washington address. The American Chemilcai 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.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 55, NO. 2, FEBRUARY 1983
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