Scholarly Communication In Internet Era

Recently, communication through Internet is a new phenomenon in academic research area which can't be ignored. However, previous studies paid more attention on Internet technologies when analyzing the transition of scholarly communication forms. From a microscopic perspective, this paper presents the process and the depth of communication, as well as and the topics that arouse hot discussion among scholars in Internet. This research will do contribution to a well understanding of the impact both on individual and scientific community given by Internet technologies.The author chooses the Sciencenet as a field of observation for its large number of users, great influence and diverse communicative activities. Through the analysis of its users, communication media and rules, this study finds that Internet is not only a communication medium but also a virtual community. Lots of scholars get together in Sciencenet to discuss the topics they care about, to make new friends and to form a social network on Internet.On the basis of analyzing the information from the Sciencenet, this study finds that compared with traditional scholarly communicaiton, more importance has been given to informal academic communication. Thanks to Internet, the scope of communication has been enlarged and the topics have been more diverse. However, scholars generally interact less on Internet because more people prefer knowing others'opinions rather than making their ideas known.On Internet, scholars also share experiences and opinions in the areas of scientific research and teaching. They pay more attention to assessment of scientific research, distribution of funds, talents management and education of graduates. Communication in these areas is good for scholars to improve their researching and teaching. At the same time, Internet is a channel for them to express their suggestions and advices.In all, this paper suggests that information technology revolution has led to new forms of scholarly communication. And these communicative forms will play a positive role to integrate scientific community and to promote researching and teaching in China in the future.