The differences, or otherwise, between biological databases and journals is an important question to consider as we ponder the future dissemination and impact of science. If databases and journals remain discrete, our methods of assimilating information will change relatively little in the years to come. On the other hand, if databases and journals become more integrated, the way we do science could change significantly....My vision is that a traditional biological journal will become just one part of various biological data resources as the scientific knowledge in published papers is stored and used more like a database. Conversely, the scientific literature will seamlessly provide annotation of records in the biological databases. Imagine reading a description of an active site of a biological molecule in a paper, being able to access immediately the atomic coordinates specifically for that active site, and then using a tool to explore the intricate set of hydrogen-bonding interactions described in the paper. Not only are the data generated by the experiment immediately available within the context of what you are reading, but specific tools for interpreting these data are provided by the journal....In the case of open-access journals and open archives like the PDB, the parallels, from the perspective of the consumer, are even more profound than just free access yet are frequently overlooked....We have taken the first steps toward a middle ground by making both the combined contents of biological databases and biological literature freely available in electronic form. Is the technology available to support the next steps in integration and is the scientific community ready for such a change? I believe that the answer to the technology part of the question is yes. I do not know the answer to the second part, but I think it's time for some preliminary experiments to find out.
Posted by
Peter Suber at 9/02/2005 08:27:00 AM.
The open access movement:
Putting peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature
on the internet. Making it available free of charge and
free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
Removing the barriers to serious research.
