April 2007 // Volume 45 // Number 2
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Printer-Friendly Printing
Abstract
"For the Benefit of JOE Readers" talks about a new feature available for readers who want a more economical way to print JOE articles and about a planned improvement to our submission guidelines. "April JOE" mentions only a few of many excellent and thought-provoking articles.
For the Benefit of JOE Readers
For the benefit of readers who need to watch their printing budgets, we are starting to offer printer-friendly versions of JOE articles. In the upper-right corner of each article in this issue, under the date, volume and issue numbers, and article number, you'll see a link to a "Printer-Friendly Version." You can use that link to find a version of the article without the space-eating left margin that will be more economical for you to print.
Gradually, we will "retrofit" articles from past issues to offer the same feature.
For the benefit of readers from around the world, who have varying connection speeds and system capabilities, we are working on additions to the JOE Submission Guidelines that will help authors whip their graphics into reasonable, Web-friendly shape and size. Look for those additions soon.
April JOE
To continue my theme, "for the benefit of readers," the April issue contains the usual complement of excellent and thought-provoking articles. If space and time permitted, I could write enthusiastically about all of them, but I will content myself with referring to a few.
The Commentary "Soft Drinks and Children: Where's the Science?" makes the point that we don't always have to wait until definitive research is available but can--and sometimes should--act on best available evidence. The issue in question is soft drink consumption among children, but that's not the only issue to which the point might apply.
Two interesting Features head the list of seven fine ones we offer this issue. "The Extension Hedgehog" contends that it's "critical that Extension identify its education niche, specialties, and the value that only Extension adds to learning" and describes efforts at Oregon State to accomplish this. "Applied Research Initiative: Training in the Scholarship of Engagement" describes a statewide process under way at Ohio State (another OSU) to teach applied research skills to field educators.
Service learning is the focus of the first two Ideas at Work articles. And "Sustainable Farm Tourism: Understanding and Managing Environmental Impacts of Visitor Activities," a Research in Brief, and "Experience Economy Strategies: Adding Value to Small Rural Businesses," another Ideas at Work, both address ways to help small rural businesses, a need that is gaining increased attention across Extension.
The other 22 articles are also noteworthy, as I said. Read them, and you'll see.
Laura Hoelscher, Editor