Virtual Nano-safety Journal Has Rating Feature
The Rice University-based International Council on Nanotechnology (ICON) has introduced an interactive feature to its Virtual Journal of Nanotechnology Environment, Health and Safety (VJ-NanoEHS) that allows users to post ratings and comments about technical papers archived at the site.
The five-star rating system, which was developed with extensive input from interested stakeholders, provides registered users an opportunity to acknowledge the publications that best exemplify good research practice and effective communication.
A survey of potential contributors found that as the pace of nano-EHS publication rapidly increases, some VJ followers believe a rating system would help the highest-quality work to be identified. That will allow such work to serve as a model to others moving into the field and to better inform the public dialogue over nanotechnology's risks and benefits.
The ICON Virtual Journal is freely available at http://icon.rice.edu/virtualjournal.cfm.