Dael Wolfle

The problem of prior publication

When an author submits a manuscript to the editor of an American Psychological Association (APA) journal and has that article accepted, he or she may normally expect to see it appear some months later--with three exceptions. For the past year and a half the Board of Editors and the Committee on Publications have been considering continuing or discontinuing the policy of prior publication. The editor of this article asked two APA editors to prepare the following statements since the editors are most thoroughly acquainted with the advantages and disadvantages of prior publication. As is customary, the affirmative side of the case is presented first; the opposing arguments follow. The two sides of the case should be studied particularly by members of the Council of Representatives for they will have to decide what the APA policy will be. But the problem is of interest to all members: they write the articles, own the journals, pay the bills, and gain or lose by wise or unwise policy decisions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)