The dissemination of research findings in the electronic age: A current status report

Traditionally research findings have been disseminated through published papers and books, articles in specialized journals, and talks to learned societies. In the early electronic age following the invention of radio and then television, they received some dissemination by electronic means but it was limited to themes judged to be of popular appeal. With the arrival of the digital age a new vehicle of dissemination was provided by the Internet, spreading the possibility of dissemination to a level previously unthinkable. Any research findings could be published by anyone on the Web, but electronic journals arrived on the scene enabling a major scientific and scholarly filtration and prioritisation process to occur. In addition, it became possible to publish the higher degree theses or dissertations electronically. This created many new possibilities of bringing to a vast readership a new concept of thesis or dissertation, moreover presented in new non-linear forms with streaming, hypertext linking and multimedia. But it also created some problems of foregone publication opportunity and the risks of unwanted exposure and plagiarism. There are technical issues confronting both types of dissemination by electronic means, specifically, archival stability and dependency on still evolving software and technology. The current status of electronic dissemination of research findings is assessed as well under way and full of enticing promise of much more to come but still in need of institutional and technological support and assurance.