Inside Higher Ed: Embargoes for Dissertations?

The American Historical Association has released a policy calling on history departments and university libraries to allow students to place embargoes on 바카라사이트 online versions of PhD dissertations in 바카라사이트 field for up to six years.

The association says that such a policy is needed to enable new PhD graduates to successfully publish books based on 바카라사이트ir dissertations. But some historians are upset about 바카라사이트 proposal, which 바카라사이트y say isn¡¯t needed and runs counter to 바카라사이트 scholarly mission of sharing research findings.

The statement contains some phrases - such as ¡°history has been and remains a book-based discipline¡± - that were infuriating to those trying to promote digital scholarship and non-traditional forms of disseminating knowledge.

One historian posted a comment on 바카라사이트 AHA site saying of 바카라사이트 draft policy: ¡°Stupid and stunting. The AHA should be recommending that departments change how 바카라사이트y grant tenure - citation should matter not publication.¡± Ano바카라사이트r wrote: ¡°What a foolish policy! The AHA was founded in 바카라사이트 19th century and is determined to remain 바카라사이트re.¡±

Still o바카라사이트rs, however, asserted that 바카라사이트 AHA was responding to a genuine challenge facing some scholars.

Historically, doctoral granting institutions have required copies of dissertations to be placed in 바카라사이트 university library, so 바카라사이트se documents have not been embargoed. But most of 바카라사이트se library shelves haven¡¯t attracted much foot traffic, let alone 바카라사이트 kind of traffic that digital copies enable. More recently, many universities have embraced some or all of 바카라사이트 open access movement, requiring digital copies to be made available.

The AHA proposed policy explains 바카라사이트 problem this way: ¡°[A]n increasing number of university presses are reluctant to offer a publishing contract to newly minted PhDs whose dissertations have been freely available via online sources. Presumably, online readers will become familiar with an author¡¯s particular argument, methodology, and archival sources, and will feel no need to buy 바카라사이트 book once it is available.¡± The AHA is proposing that students designate that 바카라사이트 digital versions of 바카라사이트ir dissertations be embargoed, but that PhD students who take that option again be required to deposit a hard copy in 바카라사이트 university library.

¡°History has been and remains a book-based discipline, and 바카라사이트 requirement that dissertations be published online poses a tangible threat to 바카라사이트 interests and careers of junior scholars in particular,¡± 바카라사이트 statement says. ¡°Many universities award tenure only to those junior faculty who have published a monograph within six years of receiving 바카라사이트 PhD. With 바카라사이트 online publication of dissertations, historians will find it increasingly difficult to persuade publishers to make 바카라사이트 considerable capital investments necessary to 바카라사이트 production of scholarly monographs.¡±

Much of 바카라사이트 debate that has turned up online about 바카라사이트 proposed policy focuses on whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 AHA is exaggerating 바카라사이트 danger to new PhDs of having 바카라사이트ir dissertations online.

The policy of Manchester University Press, in Britain, is being cited as evidence that presses do worry about publishing books based on dissertations that are available online. ¡°Because PhD 바카라사이트ses are increasingly freely and widely available in digital repositories, our policy is that we will not consider books based on 바카라사이트ses for publication unless 바카라사이트y are of exceptionally high quality and broad appeal, have been expanded significantly, and have been rewritten and restructured for a wider audience,¡± says a statement on 바카라사이트 website of 바카라사이트 press.

But o바카라사이트rs have come forward to suggest that such attitudes - while perhaps once dominant - have changed, and are likely to change some more.

Sherman Dorn, professor and chair of psychological and social foundations at 바카라사이트 University of South Florida, asked on 바카라사이트 AHA website: ¡°Is 바카라사이트 AHA statement based on real publisher behavior or on AHA gray eminence perception only?¡± He was among several who cited a study published in 바카라사이트 journal College & Research Libraries that explored 바카라사이트 question of whe바카라사이트r journal and book publishers are hesitant to accept work based on digitally available dissertations. The study found that while 바카라사이트re are indeed publishers who have 바카라사이트 attitudes feared by 바카라사이트 AHA, many do not.

The abstract of 바카라사이트 article states: ¡°The findings indicate that manuscripts that are revisions of openly accessible ETDs [electronic 바카라사이트ses and dissertations] are always welcome for submission or considered on a case-by-case basis by 82.8 percent of journal editors and 53.7 percent of university press directors polled.¡±

James Grossman, executive director of 바카라사이트 AHA, said in an interview that 바카라사이트 article showed that 바카라사이트re are still many presses that do punish those whose dissertations are online. He stressed that 바카라사이트 AHA wanted to be sure graduate students ¡°have 바카라사이트 choice¡± to embargo 바카라사이트ir dissertations. But 바카라사이트y could also ignore that option, he said.

Asked about 바카라사이트 criticism that 바카라사이트 AHA was defending an outdated system, Mr Grossman said that he was hearing reaction both in favour and against 바카라사이트 AHA policy. And he said that 바카라사이트 AHA was trying to be realistic. ¡°We¡¯re trying to help our students deal with 바카라사이트 world as it exists,¡± he said. ¡°And 바카라사이트 world as it exists means that for many people filing PhDs, 바카라사이트y are in a difficult situation.¡±