RE: Graphing the Bergstrom and McAfee Journal Pricing Data--Answer to all objections

["Lisa Dittrich" <lrdittrich@aamc.org>]

This will be my last word (do I hear a sigh of relief?) on this matter, as 
I think we've all pretty much covered everything that could possibly be 
said about B&M's Journal Pricing Data.  I would just like to defend myself 
on a couple of points.

Apart from the--yes, I admit, gratuitous--"dodo" comment, I think my 
comments have not been personal attacks.  They have raised legitimate 
questions about the data and information presented by B&M.  I admit that I 
may have been overly pedantic in my pursuit of the "truth" about the 
ownership of Springer/Kluwer/LWW--but as more people entered the fray, it 
was hard not to keep the subject going.  Also, as an editor, it's my 
mindset;  I would query any author about this kind of potential inaccuracy 
and expect them to respond.  Isn't this akin to the "post-publication 
peer-review" I hear so much about?

In terms of "for-profit, not-for-profit"--if it doesn't matter, then don't 
include it.  If it does matter, then get it right.  This information, 
though tedious to collect, is readily available, although it involves 
going to each journal's Web site (either through the publisher or the 
individual journal's site).  It's not hidden.  Again, if this were a 
published ms. and I were editing it (and it's hard for me to take off my 
editor's hat!) I would query the authors about the non-profit/for-profit 
labels, especially since these authors make statements like "the 
for-profit journals charge about five times as much per page and fifteen 
times as much per citation as the non-profits."  Now, of course those who 
look at the data closely will see that my journal is not one of the 
"gougers" even if it is labeled "for profit," but why should the reader do 
the work or be confused by the discrepancy between the statement and the 
data?

In sum, all I was ever asking for was accuracy.  Perhaps my tone was more 
accusatory than it should have been; that's because, yes, I admit, I have 
a pro-journal, pro-traditional publishing agenda.  I will try to hide it 
better in the future.  But B&M have an agenda, too.

So now I will shut up.  I promise.

Lisa

Lisa Dittrich
Managing Editor
Academic Medicine
Washington,D.C. 20037
lrdittrich@aamc.org (e-mail)
Academic Medicine's Web site: www.academicmedicine.org