The deconstructed journal – a new model for academic publishing

The limitations of

existing proposed and operational

publishing models intended to replace

the academic journal are briefly

reviewed. Three ‘insights’ are

described, the first is into the

‘means/end’ confusion of much

current net-based publishing activity,

the second is that it is the purpose, not

the form, that is the important aspect

of the traditional academic journal

model, and the third is that

satisfactory net-based publishing

models need not contain a central

publisher. From this new viewpoint is

developed the Deconstructed Journal

(DJ) model which it is suggested is a

better model for network based

academic publishing. It also solves

some of the problems of the current

model. Although the main focus of the

DJ model is the replacement of the

STM journal it has implications

for all areas of academic journal

publishing.