Re: Social networks as peer review

["Peter Banks" <pbanks@diabetes.org>]

This is where medicine and medical publishing were about 1990. Physicians
did things not because they were backed by evidence, but because Professor
Jones told them to do it when they were in med school and the chief
resident still does it, so it must be right. It determines medical
practice not by science, but by the model of the social heirarchies of
pack dogs: follow whoever barks the loudest and looks the strongest.

This isn't a reinvention of the publishing industry or of peer review;
it's a regression to discredited former practices.

Peter Banks
Publisher
American Diabetes Association
1701 North Beauregard Street
Alexandria, VA 22311
703/299-2033
FAX 703/683-2890
Email: pbanks@diabetes.org

>>> espositoj@gmail.com 5/17/2005 3:13:59 PM >>>

For people who cannot imagine any kind of meaningful peer review in a
low-cost Open Access environment, this site may be of interest:

http://getoutfoxed.com/nutshell 

This is by no means ready for prime time, but it points to one way things
are likely to develop:  using the strength of social networks to enforce
community standards.  Cynics would be forgiven for remarking that this is
no less than a bottoms-up reinvention of the publishing industry.

-- 
Joe Esposito