Editor's Page

JOE by the Numbers

I have quite a few important numbers to mention this time around, and I'll start with a brief report of some 2003 numbers.

2003

The acceptance rate for JOE articles in 2003 was 52.5%.

In 2003, JOE received 256 submissions, an all-time high and 44 more submissions than our previous record, set in 2001.

JOE readership statistics have been trending steadily upward for years. In 2003, JOE had 776,333 "visitors" to the JOE site who viewed 1,691,722 pages of the journal. In 2002, 562,774 visitors viewed 1,310,318 pages--and back in 1998, 87,318 visitors viewed 262,916 pages.

Good numbers, all. They say a lot about the growing popularity of the Web and even more about the success of JOE as the peer-reviewed journal for Extension professionals.

2004

2004 is a significant year for JOE, and the significant numbers are "10" and "40." In 2004, JOE is celebrating its 10th anniversary as an electronic journal and its 40th anniversary as a journal.

We're highlighting our 10th anniversary as an electronic journal with this issue.

One thing you'll notice is that the current issue and much of the JOE site has a new look. Many of you are now getting JOE in Verdana or Arial or, if your computer does not have those fonts, in whatever sans serif font your computer does have. Research has shown that sans serif fonts (those without short lines stemming from the upper and lower ends of letters) are easier to read on the screen. It only seemed fitting to make this change in our anniversary year.

The other thing you'll notice is the contents of the February issue.

February 2004 JOE

In the first JOE issue of 1994, then editor Mike Lambur welcomed readers to the "new electronic Journal of Extension." And the first Feature, "Transferring Technology Through the Internet Channel," suggested that the "Internet computer communication service may empower Extension personnel with an effective tool to aid the successful application of new technology."

I'll say.

In the February 2004 issue of JOE, 17 of 24 articles discuss information technology to one degree or another and illustrate how the Web and other forms of information technology have empowered us as Extension professionals to reach each other and our clientele.

The first Commentary, "On Line and In Touch: Meeting the Challenges of Communication for Extension Professionals," reports on how JOE authors feel about the journal's Web-based format.

From "Leadership Styles of Agricultural Communications and Information Technology Managers: What Does the Competing Values Framework Tell Us About Them?" to "Educational Interests of Extension Agents: Implications for the Delivery of Educational Programming at a Distance," all five Feature articles deal with information technology.

The Ideas at Work article, "Rediscovering the Potential of In-Depth Training for Extension Educators," even reminds us that, in our increasing reliance on distance education for in-service training, we should not forget the value of face-to-face training.

Perhaps most significant, all seven Tools of the Trade articles deal with the Web and other forms of information technology as just that--some tools among the many we use in our trade.

Of course, the February 2004 isn't "all about" information technology. And neither are we.

The second Commentary in this month's issue, "Co-Authoring Papers in Research Teams: Avoiding the Pitfalls," continues a conversation about how to do outreach or Extension scholarship that started in the December 2003 Commentaries.

The next issue of JOE, the April issue, will highlight our 40th anniversary as a journal by featuring some articles that take what I've been calling "the long view of Extension."

Laura Hoelscher, Editor
joe-ed@joe.org