Re:Sci-Hub’s cache of pirated papers is so big, subscription...
by amelius on Thursday July 27, 2017 @04:53PM
(#14869390)
Let me rephrase that a little. In your first paragraph you argue that the work journals actually do is finding others to do the real work. And in the second paragraph you say that the copy editor is there to catch missing apostrophes. It's true that that is not "zero" work, but it's not a very strong case. And it certainly does not justify the absurd cost model we are currently stuck with.
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Re:Sci-Hub’s cache of pirated papers is so big, subscription...
by benbreen on Thursday July 27, 2017 @05:09PM
(#14869565)
We agree, it absolutely doesn't justify the current cost model. I hate having to donate my time to Elsevier as much as the next academic.
Maybe I gave the wrong impression by mentioning apostrophes, however. Professional copy editing is, in my view, super important in terms of differentiating a good journal from a bad or mediocre journal. As is the vetting procedure of finding appropriate peer reviewers and coordination between them. Whether or not you think of that as "real" work compared to producing actual research, it is still work that should be compensated in some way, in my view.
An analogy might be the professor teaching a class vs the maintenance guys who makes sure the projectors are working and the lights turn on. One might be more important than the other, but I don't think either should be working for free.