The PaleoNet Forum

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Subject: The PaleoNet Forum
Date: Thu, 22 Jan 1998 14:15:07 -0500 (EST)

The PaleoNet Forum

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/paleonet/Forum/BackIssues.Html
(Link inactive 13 July 2004)

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/paleonet/Forum/BackIssues.Html
(Link active 13 July 2004) 

The PaleoNet Forum is an irregular electronic journal published by
PaleoNet.

What is PaleoNet?

PaleoNet is a system of listservers, www pages, and ftp sites designed to
enhance electronic communication among paleontologists.  While primarily
designed as a resource for paleontological professionals and graduate
students, PaleoNet welcomes input and participation from all persons
interested in the study of ancient life.

The PaleoNet Forum is an experiment in paleontological electronic
publishing. Since there are presently no mainstream electronic
paleontological journals the "rules"  governing such hypothetical
publications are poorly understood. In addition to exploring the place of
electronic media in the dissemination of paleontological data and opinion,
the PaleoNet Forum will attempt to clarify the issue of what sort of rules
are necessary (and what sort are not). 

The PaleoNet Forum will publish a editorials and/or technical reports on
the subject of paleontology. Submitted manuscripts should be written in a
style that can be understood by a broad corss-section of professional
paleontologists and graduate students.  Anyone may submit an manuscript
for consideration (see below). Submitted manuscripts will be reviewed and
either accepted or returned to the author for revision. There are no
length limits and use of graphics (especially color graphics) is
encouraged. Authors may submit their manuscripts already converted into
HTML or as text files that will be converted by PaleoNet staff if the ms
is accepted for publication. All manuscripts, graphics, etc. must be
submitted as computer files.  Any manuscript submitted in hard copy
without prior consent of the editor will be rejected. 

Upon acceptance the manuscript will be scheduled for appearance in the
next available Forum slot. Editorials will appear on the PaleoNet Forum
Page for one month. At then end of that time they will be placed in an
archive accessible from the PaleoNet Forum Page for a period of one year
from the original publication date. Subsequent to this one year interval,
the editorial will be compressed and placed in a subdirectory within the
PaleoNet FTP Site.  The Natural History Museum's Palaeontology and
Mineralogy library will also maintain a separate copy of each editorial
from the original date of publication which will be sent to anyone
requesting the file via written or e-mail request (see the NHM Pal/Min
Library Page). 

Because of the formatting limitations imposed by HTML the style of
PaleoNet Forum articles will be part of the experiment, at least in the
beginning. If authors intend to provide their own HTML files they are
encouraged to inspect previous Forum editorials for the basic stylistic
elements (e.g., title/affiliation style; citation of URL's, reference
style). Within these very basic guidelines, however, authors are
specifically asked to be creative and actively seek to utilize the innate
advantages of the electronic medium in their articles. 

The PaleoNet Forum: Back Issues

Quo Vadis Paleontology? by Douglas Erwin (vol. 1, no. 1). 

The Gulf of Mexico Taxonomic Equivalency Project by Garry Jones (vol. 1,
no. 2). 

"Plastics..." by Whitey Hagadorn (vol. 1, no. 3). 

Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow by Wm. R. Riedel (vol. 1, no. 4). 

The Future of Paleobotany (How am I driving ?), by Una R. Smith (vol. 2,
no. 1). 

PaleoNet: A User's Guide, by Norman MacLeod (vol. 2, no. 2). 

The Potential of HTML in Undergraduate Paleontology Courses, by Tim
Patterson, Bob Boudreau, Christian Damus, Sean Donaldson, Grant Fowler,
Chris Gallagher, Niranjala Kottachchi, Martin Novak, Jason Richard, Mike
Wellum, Kim West, and Scott Whattam (vol. 2, no. 3). 

The Inevitability of Publishing Electronically About Palaeontology, by
M.C. Boulter (vol. 2, no. 4). 

Interactive Manipulation of Enigmatic Palaeontological Data - Dilshat
Hewzulla and Michael Boulter (vol. 2, no. 4). 

The Ghost Dance: A Virtual Art Gallery Exhibition - Michael Amesburyy
(vol. 2, no. 5). 

A Global Paleontology Basic Data Source - The New Treatise? - Terry
Poulton (vol. 2, no. 6). 

Contact:

N. McLeod, N.MacLeod@nhm.ac.uk