Information Statement

Recognition for Authoring and Editing Digital Publications

This Information Statement was developed as an educational tool based on the opinion of the authors. It is not a product of a systematic review. Readers are encouraged to consider the information presented and reach their own conclusions.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) has a rich tradition of publishing high-quality, innovative digital publications online and on CD-ROM and DVD. These publications are produced with the same intellectual rigor as are traditional print publications: authors and editors create content that is objective, current, and educational; the peer review process, in varying degrees, mirrors that of print publications.

As use of the Internet and other forms of digital media has grown, it has been frequently observed that there is a wide range of quality to be found in the digital world, particularly on the worldwide web. The professionalism and editorial standards of print publishers, however, also vary widely. A publisher’s commitment to thorough editing, checking references, disclosure of conflict of interest and other quality measures will be reflected in both print and digital publications. It is up to the reader—of digital and print publications alike—to discern the publisher’s commitment to excellence in publishing.

A task force of the Academy’s Council on Education reviewed current practices in selected academic departments in regard to professional recognition for authoring or editing digital publications. Clearly, there is a range of practices, but the task force reports that the trend is toward granting recognition for this work particularly for electronic publications that undergo peer review. This is believed to be a recent trend. The Council on Education supports that view.

The AAOS believes, therefore, that authors and editors of appropriately reviewed digital publications deserve the same professional and academic recognition as authors and editors of print publications. Their authoring and editing work on digital publications should be included in their curricula vitae, and the merits of this work should be evaluated by the same standards as those applied to print publications and considered in decisions on promotion.

The AAOS also believes that users of the Academy’s digital publications should expect them to be as informative, clinically relevant, and enduring as the AAOS’s print publications. These digital publications can and should be cited by authors just as print publications are cited.

The AAOS’s Council on Education continues to be committed to innovation and high quality in the publication of all of its educational materials. We encourage all Academy members and other health care professionals to view the Academy as the definitive source of musculoskeletal education and information in all formats.

September 2003 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Reviewed June 2008.

This material may not be modified without the express written permission of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

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For additional information, contact the Public Relations Department at 847-384-4036.