Camussone, PF; Cuel, R; Ponte, D. 2010. Internet-Based Review Models for Scientific Knowledge: A Radical Innovation?. PROCEEDINGS OF THE 11TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

[Eugene Garfield]

Camussone, PF; Cuel, R; Ponte, D. 2010. Internet-Based Review Models for 
Scientific Knowledge: A Radical Innovation?. PROCEEDINGS OF THE 11TH 
EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT, VOLS 1 AND 2: 182-
190. edited by Tome, E.presented at 11th European Conference on Knowledge 
Management in Famalicao, PORTUGAL, SEP 02-03, 2010.

Author Full Name(s): Camussone, Pier Franco; Cuel, Roberta; Ponte, Diego
Language: English
Document Type: Proceedings Paper
Conference Host: Univ Lusiada Vila Nova Famalicao

Author Keywords: scientific knowledge creation; scientific knowledge 
evaluation; review processes; Web 2.0 and collaborative innovation
KeyWords Plus: CITATION ANALYSIS; IMPACT FACTOR; QUALITY

Abstract: In this paper, we analyze the evolution of scientific knowledge 
evaluation practices, traditionally called as review processes and usually carried 
on by peer experts. Both technological improvements (due to the Internet and 
the web 2.0) and new theoretical frameworks (e.g. open innovation, open 
access initiatives, and crowd-sourcing) call for the exploration of new models 
of scientific/academic knowledge evaluation. These new models aim at 
improving the quality and the reliability of traditional review processes in the 
publishing industry. Analyzing second-hand data and a representative sample of 
review models, we demonstrate that the impacts of the Internet and the Web 
2.0 technologies on the evaluation processes can be exemplified in two 
dimensions: incremental and radical. Focusing on the incremental dimension, we 
demonstrate that the Internet improves the traditional review processes by 
reducing their costs in term of time and money. Concentrating on the radical 
dimension, the advent of the so called Web 2.0 generates a radical change of 
scientific knowledge evaluation, due to the development of more collaborative, 
open and interactive reviewing processes. In this latter dimension, the following 
models have been developed and adopted: (i) collaborative review models, 
where readers participate in the process of evaluation through their comments 
on the manuscript; (ii) bibliometrics techniques which measure the significance 
of the manuscripts for the community by counting how many time a paper is 
downloaded or cited; (iii) guild models, where authors can post their articles on 
a journal website after being invited by a group member. In the paper we 
evaluate these innovative review models and describe their main common 
characteristics, as well as their strengths and weaknesses. In the conclusions 
we demonstrate that none of the models seems to prevail over the role of the 
traditional review processes, but this may depend on social issues instead of 
technical ones.

Addresses: [Camussone, Pier Franco; Cuel, Roberta; Ponte, Diego] Univ Trent, 
Trento, Italy

E-mail Address: pierfranco.camussone at unitn.it; roberta.cuel at unitn.it; 
diego.ponte at unitn.it
ISBN: 978-1-906638-70-2
Not available online: http://www.academic-
conferences.org/eckm/eckm2011/eckm10-proceedings.htm