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STOP THE PRESSES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Below you will find the latest correspondence from Kirk Jensen of Oxford
Press. The current outline of our "synthesis volume" was found to be
unsatisfactory and unsynthetic enough.  I didn't realize that our first
outline was so far out of line with Oxford's desires, and therefore a
revision of our original intent would not be good enough. 

So at this point DON'T WORK ON THE BOOK ANY MORE!!!!!!!  We need to
consider what our alternatives are and which one we will take. What we
can do is prepare to meet in January at the all scientists meeting to
determine a new approach.  I'll do some homework and get back to you.
Any suggestions will be appreciated.


Sorry,
Bob

Robert R. Christian
Professor
Biology Department
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC 27834

Phone: 919-328-1835
Fax: 919-328-4178
email: christianr@mail.ecu.edu


> ----------
> From: 	Kirk Jensen[SMTP:KAJ@OUP-USA.ORG]
> Sent: 	Friday, November 07, 1997 11:12AM
> To: 	CHRISTIANR@MAIL.ECU.EDU
> 
> Dr. Robert Christian
> 
> Dear Dr. Christian:
> 
> 	There appears to be very little change in your plans and
> outline for the Virginia Coast Reserve site synthesis volume since
> you sent the earlier draft in July 1996.  The prospectus reads like a
> report, but appears not to aim for any broader readership beyond
> the small cadre of workers who may want to access data specific
> to the site.  There are too many small sections or chapters, that are
> too purely descriptive, with integration and unspecified electronic
> support materials at the end.  You should, in larger synthetic
> chapters, lay out for the broader ecological community what has
> been learned about the fundamental biological questions and
> processes that have been addressed at this site, in the context of
> the relevant scientific literature on coastal ecology.  The material
> as you have it presently organized appears as if it could all go on
> a website for those individuals wanting specific data and
> descriptions, but the book should be a critical scientific synthesis,
> not just a site report.  Larger, more ambitious chapters, and fewer
> authors, would help.  Can you envision making the complete
> revision of basic plan that would broaden the book's appeal?
> 
> Sincerely,
> Kirk Jensen
> Executive Editor
> (212)726-6035
> FAX (212)726-6443
> kaj@oup-usa.org
>