I agree with Dr. Koning's comment that IN THE FUTURE the
information on web sites and other internet sources may be
archived in a permanent form. When/if that happens then
it would be possible to use this information as a
citable source. That will be a happy day, but we are
not there yet, and I think the printed medium will be
with us for decades to come.
Until that time arrives, I do not see the research journals
accepting web page addresses as citable material. When
the research journals start accepting web addresses as
citations in published articles, and by that time the
articles themselves might be published electronically, then
I'd agree with the use of this material for citations.
I see the purpose of requiring students to learn to
properly cite their sources as part of their training
as apprentice-scientists. When the standards for
publication and citing shift, of course my teaching
should shift. But the standards have not shifted, yet.
Students can spend their time reading and learning to use
the published peer reviewed literature, and they can spend
their time tracking down opinions gather by letter,
phone calls, or over the internet. Students have had the
chance to collect unpublished, non-reviewed, up-to-date
opinions for decades now. Most biologists will happily
take a few minutes to answer a letter, or discuss their
work over the phone. The cost of a long distance phone
call is not more prohibitive than the cost of a computer
and a modem. Neither is the cost of a letter.
But these sort of communications
have never been citable, except as "personal communications",
nor do I think that they will be used any differently
in the future, unless all web sites are regularly archived.
I'm willing to bet that ten years from now we are still
dealing with mostly physically published materials. As
long as that is the case hardcopy is an information medium
that our students must also be forced to deal with
and cite effectively. The internet can help with this
learning but, right now, I do not think it can replace
it.
P.S. I'm really not a luddite! ;)
Scott T. Meissner, Division of Science and Mathematics
McKendree College, 701 College Rd, Lebanon, IL 62254
Tel: (618) 537-6934
E-mail: smeissne at a1.mckendree.edu
Aure Entuluva!
