The transformation of scientific communication: A model for 2020

Information technologies, particularly the personal computer and the World Wide Web, are changing the ways that scientists communicate. The traditiona l print-based system that relies on the refereed scientific journal as the key delivery mechanism for research findings is undergoing a transformation to a system much more reliant on electronic communication and storage medi a. This article offers a new paradigm for communication in science, and sug gests how digital media might bring new roles and functionalities to partic ipants. The argument is made that behavioral and organizational determinant s are as important factors as technological capabilities in shaping the fut ure.