- The Value of H-Net Reviews:
Reviewing book and multimedia materials is one of the most important
aspects of H-Net discussion lists. While print journals generally take a
year or more to review new works, H-Net obtains and distributes
professional reviews in a matter of months.
Since the inception of H-Net Reviews in 1994, list editors and staff have
continued to explore the possibilities of web publishing. With no
printing costs involved, reviewers are able to write in more depth
analyses than most print journals would allow. Further, H-Net
reviews facilitate a real dialogue between authors and their readership.
Discussion lists are able to arrange simultaneous reviews by several
reviewers--in effect, creating an on-line conference on important new
works. Author's responses to print reviews are often considered peevish.
On H-Net lists, however, authors are encouraged to respond to reviews and
discuss their work publicly, engaging in a public forum with their
reviewers.
H-Net Reviews are stored on an Internet database, where they are
readibly retrievable at any time, and available worldwide. Links at the
bottom of each review take readers to archived threads of discussion
commentary, written by authors and scholars respected in their fields. In
the year 2000, H-Net's reviews database contains almost 5,000 book and
multimedia reviews, published in seven languages. H-Net currently
publishes well over 1,000 book and multimedia reviews each year.
- Effectiveness:
The most effective review will place the work within a broader context,
explaining what important issues are worth the attention of scholars.
Multimedia reviews should be written with a computer-literate, academic
audience in mind. They should be neither too-technical, nor too
simplified in its description of the material.
- Content:
Reviews should include a brief summary of the scope, purpose, and content
of the work and its significance in the literature of the subject.
For multimedia reviews, evaluate the the significance in relation to
similar multimedia products and relevant literature. Many readers will
depend on your summary for substantive information on a topic, so it is
important to be precise and clear.
- Evaluation:
Reviews should go beyond description to evaluate the strengths and
weaknesses of the work, paying attention to the use of sources,
methodology, organization, and presentation. Evaluation should consider
the work's stated purpose. For software or cd-rom reviews, pay attention
to user friendliness, appropriate audience, organization and presentation.
In the age of rapid technological change, the software's longevity should
also be kept in mind. Also, does the use of a sofware/cd-rom package
enhance the presentaion of this material?
- Audience:
Reviewers need to keep in mind the audience (specific H-Net Discussion List) for which they are reviewing. All
H-Net lists include subscribers from many different disciplines and
departments, so it is important for reviewers to provide historiographical
background. H-Net reviews may have endnotes, which are a good place to
refer to related multimedia sources, books, and articles.
- Professionalism:
Whether the evaluation of a work is favorable or unfavorable, reviewers
should express criticism in courteous, temperate, and constructive terms.
Reviewers are responsible for presenting a fair and balanced review and
for treating authors with respect. Electronic communication is a hot
medium in which intellectual exchange all too often is lost to verbal
conflict. As with all items posted to their lists, H-Net editors will be
responsible for maintaining a constructive review process and may ask
reviewers to reword or rewrite sections of their reviews. H-Net editors
have the prerogative to refuse submissions.
- Author's Responses:
One goal of H-Net Reviews is to facilitate discussion of new works. To
this end, H-Net is endeavoring to develop new professional norms that
encourage dialogue between authors and their reviewers. New standards need
to be established for this new medium of reviewing. Authors may receive
copies of reviews in hopes of encouraging their response. H-Net list
editors may delay posting of a review to allow authors time to respond.
- Editing Reviews and Responses:
H-Net list editors' primary responsibility is to maintain the intellectual
integrity of their lists and the civility of the dialogue. Review editors
may edit with a light or heavy hand, but all changes must be agreed to by
reviewers and/or authors. H-Net editors reserve the right not to post
reviews and responses.
- Guidelines for other Multimedia Reviews:
H-Net takes interactive academic publishing in a new direction, with
multimedia reviews of museums, exhibits, websites, films, videos, concerts,
and more. We ask that reviewers overview book and software/CD-ROM review
formats, and consider these few helpful suggestions:
- Reviews of exhibits and concerts should be descriptive evaluations,
that consider context, presentation, and background. They should not
be written as mere announcements.
- It is necessary to take the longevity of the material under
review into account. How will this film, exhibit, or website be
considered in 5-10 years? What special contribution does it make (or
fail to make)?
- Website reviewers should consider not only the potential life-span of
the site they are reviewing, but its upkeep, as well. Are links
updated regularly? Is the site user-friendly? Is it frequently
visited?
- Finally, as with any good scholarly review, your analysis should
make reference to related sources, and should help readers
consider how the material or presentation being evaluated fits within
its discipline.
- Copyright information:
All reviews will carry the following H-Net copyright statement at the
bottom of the review:
Copyright 2001 by H-Net, all rights reserved. H-Net permits the
redistribution and reprinting of this work for nonprofit, educational
purposes, with full and accurate attribution to the author, web
location, date of publication, originating list, and H-Net:
Humanities & Social Sciences Online. For any other proposed use,
contact the Reviews editorial staff at hbooks.h-net.msu.edu.
All reviews commissioned by H-Net are the exclusive property of H-Net.
Reviews are considered a work made-for-hire and, as such, all copyright
rights shall be owned by and be in the name of H-Net. H-Net in turn grants
review authors the right to reprint their reviews in any format that they
choose, without the payment of royalties, subject to giving proper credit
to the original publication on H-Net. H-Net permits all of its reviews to
be copied for non-profit educational use provided proper credit is given
to the review author and H-Net. Reviewers should not agree to write a
separate review of the same work for a print journal. Any conflicts
arising out of the review process will be adjudicated by the Editorial
Board of that list under the guidelines established by the H-Net
Charter.
- World Wide Web:
All H-Net solicited reviews will be available through the world wide web
at: http://www.h-net.org/reviews.
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