Questions Related to the EOLSS HTE-Author Matters

1. What is the role of HTEs?

Honorary Theme Editors (HTEs) will organize contributions under the Themes assigned to them. They will be assisted in the process of writing by a team of authors chosen for this purpose by themselves. The HTEs will have ample freedom to reorganize the content of their Themes within the specified boundaries to best reflect their professional judgement. The HTEs themselves will determine the final form in which the list of contents in the Themes will be organized, within the general framework of the scope of their Themes. They may propose changes in the scope of an assigned Theme when this is believed desirable. The flow chart ` EOLSS Development' given below indicates important milestones for HTEs and Authors and their interactions with the Coordinating Academic Editor and the Eolss Publishers, Ltd.

2. What is the expected size of the EOLSS?

EOLSS is structured in terms of over 200 Themes, 1,000 Topics, and 6,500 Articles. Unlike the majority of encyclopedias that are alphabetically organized by the titles of contributions, the EOLSS will be thematically structured as indicated in the illustration to follow. The Inaugural Edition (about 8 million words) of the well-illustrated EOLSS is scheduled for launch on the Internet by the later part of 2001. Additional parts of the body of knowledge will be uploaded in regular batches of about 2 million words each thereafter. The ultimate size of the EOLSS which is 60-70 million words, will be attained by 2003.

Figure 3. EOLSS House of Knowledge

Figure 4: Hierarchical structure of the EOLSS body of knowledge

EOLSS Structure and Configuration

3. How are the contributions be sized?

The size of contributions, in terms of approximate number of words at the various levels of the knowledge hierarchy, as shown above, is generally as follows:

Theme level: 15000-20000

Topic level  : 10000-15000

Article level:   5000-10000

These are guidelines only, and not an absolute prescription.

These contributions establish the scope of the Topics that will follow. Theme-level contributions are not intended to offer in-depth analysis of the micro-level details of a particular subject, but rather to integrate all aspects of the Topics that fit within a particular Theme. Theme-level contributions may include broad historical perspectives, foundations of science, technology, and policy; and professional practice and future-oriented (towards sustainable world development) coverage in the respective Topics and Articles within the Theme as they relate to sustainable development. Surveys of the state of the art form part of the contributions at this level, exposing the reader to current and future trends. The length of these contributions is in the region of 15 000 to 20 000 words.

Topic-level Writings

Topic-level contributions provide a broad summary and evaluation of the subjects to be covered by a group of Articles. Contributions at the Topic level include detailed historical perspectives, foundations of science, technology, and policy; and professional practice and related discussions. Topic-level contributions provide in-depth summaries and indicate where progress is being made in the field. Where appropriate, future- and policy- oriented coverage (towards sustainable world development) are highlighted in the form of a concluding section to the Topic level contributions. The contributions are accessible to advanced students who want to begin or advance their knowledge in a particular subject. The length of Topic-level contributions is in the region of 10 000 to 15 000 words.

Article-level Writings

Most of the contributions in the EOLSS are at the Article level. Articles cover a subject in depth and contain relevant and necessary details of the established knowledge associated with it. Although Articles present an increased depth of knowledge not found in the higher-level contributions, to be of value to the various target audiences they are structured so as to appeal to both the non-specialist and the expert in related fields who seek a comprehensive understanding of efforts in the subject of the article. To achieve this objective, Articles have a self-contained introduction that presents background information allowing the reader - whether student, practitioner or researcher,  - to gain a relatively complete picture without the need to delve further into the Article for detailed discussions. The main part of the Article then describes the state of the art of the subject treated, in an increasing degree of detail, and tells an expert in a related field what they need to know about the subject of the Article. Because the EOLSS is forward looking, into the far future, authors have been encouraged to include their thoughts on future trends and perspectives that relate to their subject. Such material will be of interest to all types of readership, not least to policy makers and forecasters of science and technology trends. In-depth presentation of historical aspects, foundations of science, technology, and policy; and professional practice aspects are desired in Article level contributions. Future directions for further in depth studies are highlighted in the form of a concluding section to the Article. Articles contain the latest advances and results in the subject. Relevant examples, such as brief case studies, are also included, as well as appropriate economic estimates. Articles do not generally contain detailed derivations of well-established fundamentals when these can be found in appropriate portions of Knowledge Foundations. The length of Articles is generally in the region of 5,000 - 10,000 words.

5. What is the relative proportion of the text and non-text material in the EOLSS?

There is no strict rule. The proportion depends on the nature of the subject matter itself and the hierarchical level of the writing. Generally, writings at the Theme level will contain little, if any, mathematics. Appropriate illustrative examples are encouraged at all levels to render the presentation helpful for self-study. Contributions are rich in sound information and data to support discussions and decisions on real world situations. Approximately, the text and non-text (graphics, mathematics, tables etc.) percentages in a given writing might be 75% and 25% respectively.

6. What is the nature of the participating expertise associated with the development of the EOLSS?

There are more than 200 Honorary Theme Editors (HTE), each organizing a set of about 40 contributions. Some themes include more than 60 contributions and there are a few with more than 100 contributions. They are recognised experts in their fields of specialization and come from all regions of the world.

7. How is the process of communications organized and administered in order to handle information on such a large scale?

It is organized and administered by the UNESCO-EOLSS Secretariat in Paris, and facilitated to a major extent by electronic mail (E-Mail). The Secretariat is in direct contact with the HTEs and they in turn are in direct contact with their authors. The Secretariat does not interfere in the process between the HTEs and their authors. The communications are, therefore, very rapid and efficient. Large file systems are transmitted by E-Mail as attached files or through use of the electronic file transfer protocol (FTP).
World Wide Web sites are available for UNESCO-EOLSS at the WWW URL: http://www.eolss.com or http://www.eolss.co.uk/ All interested parties are invited to consult these sites for additional information on the EOLSS. The HTEs are also taking advantage of the advanced communications and information technology facilities. They are making use of E-Mail for their work. Some are setting up their Theme websites and working on line with their authors in their editorial activity.

8. What is the time frame for the role of a HTE ?

The HTEs are given a total period of about 18 months to forward the Theme packages complete in all respects to the UNESCO-EOLSS Secretariat. This includes a  comfortable additional margin over the estimated total period required, according to the suggested schedule as follows.         Following acceptance of the assignment, an HTE may take about  two months to ratify the Theme (i.e. adjust and modify the proposed list of contents), and to select authors.  Authors may be given six  months to submit the first drafts of their contributions.  Following submission of these first drafts, the process of review is  expected to take another four months.  Authors will thereafter have about one month to revise and submit their edited final  contributions to the HTE. Thus, the time estimated   is about fourteen months, including one month for mailing, for the Theme  material to reach the UNESCO-EOLSS Secretariat in Paris. It is the HTE who arranges for  review of material submitted in their Themes, transmits these reviews to authors, and obtains the revised  manuscripts. Only the HTE  has authority to approve a submitted  writing  for transmission to the Coordinating Academic  Editor.
 

9. What is the time frame of the EOLSS Authors?

The authors will have six months to submit the first drafts of their contributions to the Honorary Theme Editor, following the Author Agreement. Following submission of the first drafts of the contributions, the HTEs may take as much as four months for review and transmittal of recommendations if any, for revision to authors. Then the authors will thereafter have about a month to revise and submit their edited final contributions to the Honorary Theme Editor. Assuming that no additional changes are needed, the Honorary Theme Editor will forward this material on to the UNESCO-EOLSS Secretariat and the EOLSS Publishers. The EOLSS Publishers forward the manuscript to the production department where the page proofs are prepared. The author supplied electronic copy of the manuscript text and artwork will be used in preparing these page proofs. Page proofs are sent to authors, with courtesy copy to the UNESCO-EOLSS Secretariat and HTE, for proofing and return to the EOLSS Publishers with clarifications for any queries that arise during the process of production. Authors also provide a list of keywords and phrases to be used in preparation of the Index and search linkages.

10. What happens after the page proofs are returned to the Publishers?

The Publishers will prepare the final copy of the EOLSS using these corrected page proofs. In some few cases, questions may arise and it will be necessary for authors to be contacted further.

11. I have recently provided to you my personal bank account information but as of yet I have not received any payment. How long does the procedure take in order to receive the first installment of my honorarium?

Following a contract signed by all relevant parties, it generally takes about 3-4 weeks to process your request for a bank transfer. If you request a bank draft the process takes a little longer as these payments by check are routed through the UNESCO-EOLSS Secretariat for processing.

12. I have contacted some of my authors for Article and Topic level contributions, but have not yet completed this process for all contributions under my Theme. Should I hold onto these agreements, and delay progress on the encyclopedia, or should I submit them to the UNESCO-EOLSS Secretariat for further processing?

Generally speaking, it is preferable if all Author Agreements for a Theme are submitted simultaneously to the Secretariat. However, we understand that this may not be possible in some circumstances. Please forward those Author Agreements you have in your possession, if you feel that more progress will not be made in the nearest future, and submission of the remaining Author Agreements may be tracked later on.

13. Are there financial provisions for having contributions submitted in a language other than English translated into English (the EOLSS working language)?

No, the working language of the EOLSS is English. We are not prepared to provide translation services. Moreover, there are no additional provisions made for other, ancillary expenses including meetings, seminars, travel, typing, preparation of artwork, etc.

14. Could you tell me how the encyclopedia is progressing? I am having trouble in recruiting authors and I certainly don't want to invite my colleagues to contribute submissions to an encyclopedia that may never be published.

The encyclopedia is progressing splendidly. Almost all the encyclopedia's well over two hundred Themes have been successfully contracted. The Inaugural Edition of the Encyclopedia is scheduled for launch on the Internet by the later part of 2001. Completed parts of the body of knowledge will be regularly uploaded thereafter. Upon uploading a sizable amount of the EOLSS body of knowledge, the entire material will be available also on CD ROM by 2003.

15. I have distributed all of the copies of the author agreements I received from your office. Would you please forward to me additional copies, which will allow me to finish the process of contracting all of the authors in my Theme?

We would be pleased to provide these materials to you; however, we would like to suggest that you first attempt to download and print copies of these materials directly off the EOLSS websites at http://www.eolss.com or http://www.eolss.co.uk utilizing the password supplied to you. Should you have difficulties with this process do not hesitate to contact our office and we shall make sure that you receive additional hard-copy copies at the earliest possible moment. You may also make additionally required copies from the Author Agreement Forms already sent to you.

16. I am having trouble in recruiting authors for my Theme. Is there anything the UNESCO-EOLSS Secretariat can do to help me contact individuals that may be willing to contribute writings.

In principle, according to the guidelines laid down by the UNESCO-EOLSS Committee, this Secretariat should not interfere between the HTEs and their authors. It is the Committee's belief that, as the experts in the field, the HTEs know best whom to contact. We are pleased to note that some HTEs have set up their own websites, or utilized websites of access to them, in order to seek authors. These efforts are of course applauded by everyone concerned.

17. What are the authors expected to present in Keywords, Glossary, Nomenclature, and Acronyms?

o Authors are asked to provide keywords and key phrases that will be of value to the professional indexing and search engine preparation teams
o Authors are asked to supply a brief Glossary, or an alphabetical list of important terms each with its meaning, definition or explanation. This is needed, as there are often subtle differences in the meaning of terms across the various writings in any collective work of many authors such as the EOLSS.
o Nomenclature is a list all symbols with their definitions. This will in understanding the mathematics. We can do little to assure common usage of symbols throughout the EOLSS
o Acronyms should be listed with their expansions. Often the same acronym is used for different purposes in writings and this will assist readers in better understanding of those acronyms that are used. For this reason, we encourage authors to use acronyms sparingly.

18. Could you give me some guidance as to the question for whom is the EOLSS being designed? This may help better understand my role as Honorary Theme Editor and in my ability to explain to authors the audience for their work.

The hierarchical structure of the contents of the EOLSS is depicted in Fig.4, of the Conceptual Framework. It is also illustrated in response to an earlier question. This is one of the possible approaches to the taxonomy of knowledge for presentation. The choice of this structure is the result of considering the needs of the intended audience for the EOLSS, which is as follows:
o University/College students (undergraduates and graduates) who wish to introduce themselves to a particular subject.
o Educators, interested in the subject domains of the Encyclopedia and some who may wish to prepare a comprehensive coverage of these subjects for lecture and seminar presentations.
o Professional practitioners and specialists in various domains of knowledge who wish to refresh and update their knowledge, and to relate their knowledge to applications and to fields cutting across their own specialties.
o Research personnel who wish to inform themselves about innovations and new approaches to problem solving, especially in related subjects.
o Policy analysts, managers, and decision makers in the public and private sectors, including development officials and non-governmental organizations, who wish to equip themselves with the technical and systems management knowledge required to better incorporate science and technology in their efforts.
· Different levels of presentation are addressed to meet the needs of the above spectrum. The contributions at the higher levels are intended to provide perspectives, surveys and integrated presentations of subject matter in varying degree of depth and detail. The following charts attempt to present this graphically.

C: Broad features of EOLSS contributions- Extent and types of knowledge

 
 
19. How did the concept of the EOLSS evolve?

The Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) will be one of the largest sources of knowledge ever to be compiled for publication, its purpose being to provide essential guidance for the achievement of global security through sustainable development. The EOLSS is inspired by several recent events which illustrate the grave concern of many for the future of the Earth. The United Nations "Earth Summit" in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 is prominent among such events, and the EOLSS embodies the spirit of "science for sustainable development" as promulgated in Agenda 21 of the summit, but developing the concept further as "knowledge for sustainable development," thus transcending the conventionally understood boundaries of the term "science." The EOLSS captures the ideas and aspirations of other similar events that followed the Rio summit.

20. How is the List of Contents being drawn up?

In order to adopt a highly structured approach, teams of experts from the USA, Japan, Russia, Europe, South and Central America and China were invited to develop outlines for the coverage of the Encyclopedia. These parallel efforts ensured the inclusion of a variety of approaches to common problems, characterized by the different conditions prevailing in contrasting world regions. During the first half of 1996 these proposals were integrated and reviewed by further workshops organized throughout the world involving experts from across the globe. Following the development of a draft list of contents at a workshop in the Bahamas in May 1996, several hundred amendments and revisions were put forward by leading experts in their fields; these proposals have produced a definitive List of Contents.
To aid this process, Knowledge Resources Research Centers have been established at several sites worldwide to ensure that the List of Contents is subjected to a systematic procedure of evaluation and enhancement. These centres have been continually examining the List of Contents at the various stages of its evolution, researching the desired content of contributions, and recommend modifications and improvements. Specialist teams have also been assembled to strengthen the coverage of certain sections of the list. The assessment and revision was also aided by meetings of advisors, the most recent being in Panama in August 1996, in Egypt in September 1996 and in Malaysia in March 1997.

21. What makes the EOLSS different from other encyclopedias?

Unlike other standard reference works, the EOLSS is designed to have a major impact upon professional practice and education and to heighten social awareness of critical life support issues. It will provide a unique source of knowledge for sustainable development and use of the Earth's resources essential for global stability, security, and peace. In addition to students and research personnel in higher education establishments, it is envisaged that the EOLSS will be used widely by professional practitioners, managers and policy analysts, and decision makers in the public and private sectors, including development officials and leaders of nongovernmental organizations who need to know appropriate and practical techniques for sustainable management and development.

22. Who is involved in the project?

The EOLSS has the support and advice of an unprecedented number of renowned scientists worldwide. During the development of the project to date, advice has been provided by over 1000 national and international experts in the various subject domain covered by the Encyclopedia. The Board of General Advisors, who have advised on the overall vision and direction of the project, is distinguished by a number of Nobel and UN Kalinga Laureates, World Food Prize Laureates, and fellows of science and engineering academies.
The full text of the EOLSS is being generated through an academic editorial activity that is being managed from the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris under the direction of the so called UNESCO-EOLSS Joint Committee.

23. How will the material within the EOLSS be structured?

The EOLSS body of knowledge is divided into well over 200 units called "Themes."

The themes fall broadly into three blocks of knowledge: Global Issues and Sustainable Development, Life support Systems, and Knowledge Foundations, each of which is divided into several subject domains which include the relevant themes.
24. How has the structure of material been determined?

The organizational structure for the Encyclopedia, has been based on the advice of a large section of the International Editorial Council, after taking into account the practical considerations of managability involved in the process of developing the EOLSS contents. Honorary Theme Editors (HTEs) will be responsible for the contributions within each Theme.

25. What is the role of Honorary Theme Editors in editorial management of the EOLSS?

Honorary Theme Editors are appointed individually to each theme by the UNESCO-EOLSS Joint Committee. An Honorary Theme Editor appointed to each Theme has the following general responsibilities:

To ratify the definition of the Themes which have been assigned to them

To ratify (and modify if necessary) the Theme descriptions and keywords/phases provided in each entry under the Theme(s)

To invite appropriate authors to write contributions: (i) Topic level writings under each Theme, and (ii) Article level writings under each Topic

To coordinate and manage the scheduling of these contributions (authors will be given 6 months to submit a draft manuscript)

To liaise with the UNESCO-EOLSS Secretariat  in respect of all editorial matters (e.g. development of the contents of the Theme, selection of contributors, etc.) and through the UNESCO-EOLSS Secretariat with the EOLSS Publishers in respect of production matters ( e.g. instructions for authors for contribution submission, timetables, revisions, proofs, etc.)

To ensure that the contributions meet the required standards of comprehensiveness, clarity, coherence and consistency, and that the material is factually correct and helpful in self study. (Any of the Honorary Theme Editor's expert colleagues who will provide help in this phase of academic editing and refining activity will be duly acknowledged in the EOLSS)

To advise the authors in respect of recommended revisions and to ensure their implementation

To ensure timely a delivery of the final manuscripts of specified quality.

26. How will the subject matter be integrated within and between contributions?

Contribution profiles (i.e. summary descriptions of contribution content, including keywords) have been provided as an important means by which the HTEs and authors will be able to define the boundaries of the subject matter contained within each individual Article, Topic, Theme, etc.
These summarized descriptions are a practical means of defining more precisely the intended, final EOLSS contents for the purpose of finding authors with the appropriate expertise in specified subjects. Such descriptions will also aid authors in writing within clearly defined subject matter limits.
The exactness of the summarized descriptions is to be determined between the HTEs and related authors by mutual discussion. They have the freedom required to edit the summarized descriptions as they together deem appropriate.
This approach is intended to prevent gross overlaps or omissions in the total EOLSS subject matter covered, and thus greatly enable the overall integration of the body of knowledge itself.

27. Who are the contributors and how will the quality of the material be assured?

Selection of authors is undertaken by the HTEs themselves. The contributions to the Encyclopedia come from a broad spectrum of well-known experts from leading academic and research institutions, professional organizations, government agencies, private enterprises, and policy planning bodies throughout the world.