15.

Page 153

		described by Harnad, cannot also be added to enrich the nature of scientific discourse.

		The electronic review process of a scholarly paper is twofold, following the print convention. The editorial review consists of examination of the work by an editorial board. If the paper is deemed worthy, two peer reviewers in the field are chosen by the editors to evaluate and review the manuscript. If a stalemate arises between the two, a third reviewer is chosen to break the deadlock. Although the goal of peer review is objectivity, the selection process is still vulnerable when new paradigms are discussed. Controversial manuscripts, even those by well-known scientists, can be rejected.

		Unpopular topics are not the only factors in the rejection of a paper. In April 1997, The New England Journal of Medicine published an article called "The Messenger Under Attack Intimidation of Researchers by Special Interest Groups." The article described in detail several cases of researchers being harassed by physician groups and academic associations that failed to disclose ties to drug companies. As with print publication, well-financed pressure groups can affect which research gets financed, promoted, and published on the Internet.

		The InterNIC Academic Guide to the Internet

		The InterNIC Academic Guide to the Internet <www.aldea.com/guides/ag/attframes2.html> focuses exclusively on the interests of the higher education research and education communities. InterNIC is a cooperative activity of the National Science Foundation, Network Solutions, Inc., and AT&T. Users of the guide express opinions about a site's academic value. Their scores are posted with the description of the site, providing peer opinions about its value. The top-level categories include biological sciences, computer sciences, engineering and geosciences, math and physical sciences, and social sciences. To join the InterNIC mailing list, send an e-mail including the words "subscribe internic" to <[e-mail]>.