Re: [tlug] Journals, Authors and 'Free Peer Review'

["Stephen J. Turnbull" <turnbull.stephen.fw@example.com>]

Raymond Wan writes:

 > It does open a can of worms that few people want to address. 
 >   For example, if I submit a manuscript to a journal, am I 
 > obligated to cite earlier work that was submitted to ArXiv, 
 > knowing that it hasn't yet been through the process of peer 
 > review?  I am?  If so, then should I cite someone who said 
 > they did a preliminary study but reported it on their 
 > homepage or their blog?  Where does one draw the line?

I don't see the problem.  If you mention the results in your work, you
cite it, even if it's the writing on the ass of Marilyn in the nude on
the patent leather jacket of the skinny little boy from Cleveland
Ohio.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhj7rthZM1s @ 2:00

 > If I'm reviewing for aforementioned journal and I came 
 > across this earlier work in ArXiv, do I point out or 
 > criticize the author for not citing this work in ArXiv?

Point it out if the quality justifies it.  "Criticize" depends on how
hard you had to work to find it.  If it's any good, Googling the
current author's keywords on Scholar better not bring it up on the
first page of results, is all I'll say.

 > I was doing a literature search for something I'm working on and
 > found something in ArXiv that was posted about 2 years ago but
 > never got published finally...do I cite it?

If you mention its results.  Really, how hard is this?  The only
people who have a problem are those writing a *comprehensive*
literature review.  There, I guess you mention and cite unless it's
really garbage.

 > I'm a small potato and my workplace gives credit to publication in
 > journals and not ArXiv...so that's what I'll do.  ;-(

Don't they give any weight to citations?  Exposing your work to more
people can't hurt in terms of getting your name known to reviewers,
too.  I don't see the problem with the strategy Benjamin suggests (as
long as the journals in question don't refuse submissions of work
directly descended from ArXiv publications).