grey literature, peer review

[Don Perkins]

Electronic sources are problems for all sorts of reasons, Kathy.  One
reason is, of course, that they are new and therefore suspect.  More
importantly, as you note, they come and go.  If you check the rules for
citing www entries, for example, one thing you have to include is the date
the entry was made (if known); the other is the day you retrieved it--just
in case it goes out of existence in the meantime.  A lot of instructors are
recommending students pull copies of the file to prove it existed. No
wonder the computer age is proving to be a "more paper age."


You do raise an interesting question--what if all the citations were to
electronic sources?  Technically, this should be permissible, unless the
instructor specifies a variety of sources.  Friends in some fields tell
meelectronic sources are the only ones current enough (or available) for
their workm anyway.  I guess, if it bothers someone, then make regulations
for the allowable scope of sources--then enforce them.

Don