GB 0117 RR - Referees Reports

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0117 RR

Title

Referees Reports

Date(s)

  • 1831-2002 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

32 bound volumes and 186 boxes

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

This system of assessment began in December 1831, and became the norm for most papers, although the Reports were not necessarily presented in person. The Statutes of the Royal Society for 1831 describe the process by which papers were judged; those failing to gain a majority vote on two meetings of the Committee were rejected, but the Committee could call upon any Fellow to present a written Report to assist the process of deliberation before the second meeting, Formal printed sheets first appeared in 1898 and continue to the present day.

Repository

Archival history

Begun in 1831.
GB 0117 RR 1831-2002 Collection (fonds) 32 bound volumes and 186 boxes Royal Society
This system of assessment began in December 1831, and became the norm for most papers, although the Reports were not necessarily presented in person. The Statutes of the Royal Society for 1831 describe the process by which papers were judged; those failing to gain a majority vote on two meetings of the Committee were rejected, but the Committee could call upon any Fellow to present a written Report to assist the process of deliberation before the second meeting, Formal printed sheets first appeared in 1898 and continue to the present day.

Begun in 1831.

Reports on scientific papers submitted for publication to the Royal Society from 1832 to date (Peer Review). The referees were appointed to advise the Committee of Papers, and were drawn from appropriate subject disciplines within the Fellowship. Referees Reports vary in content between terse notes recommending acceptance or rejection to long monographs devoted to the subject under review. Much of their interest derives from the comment of one scientist on the work of another, for example Michael Faraday on J P Joule (RR.3.154,158) or Sir Oliver Lodge on Ernest Rutherford (RR.13.106).

Chronologically by year. Early reports are bound into volumes for the period 1832-1902, and one box of additional papers for 1838-1848. Then the series continues as boxes of loose papers to date. There are 6,094 Reports for 1832-1917, after which the papers are unsorted. From 1932 Reports on withdrawn papers began to be kept as separate annual bundles.

Open.

No publication without written permission. Apply to Archivist in the first instance.
English
Reports to 1909 are in bound volumes, thereafter kept annually in boxes.

Catalogued on cards in the General Card Catalogue under authors names. No list exists of Reports on withdrawn papers. Detailed catalogue available at http://www.a2a.pro.gov.uk

Description produced by the Royal Society and revised by Rachel Kemsley as part of the RSLP AIM25 project. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. Created 15/04/2002, modified 15/05/2002, revised Sep 2002 Associations Faraday , Michael , 1791-1867 , chemist and natural philosopher Joule , James Prescott , 1818-1889 , physicist Learned societies Lodge , Sir , Oliver Joseph , 1851-1940 , Knight , physicist Organizations Publishing Publishing industry Research work Royal Society Rutherford , Ernest , 1871-1937 , Baron Rutherford of Nelson , physicist x Rutherford of Nelson , Baron Science Scientific facilities Scientific personnel Scientific publications Scientists Personnel People by occupation People Publications Communications media Information sciences

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Reports on scientific papers submitted for publication to the Royal Society from 1832 to date (Peer Review). The referees were appointed to advise the Committee of Papers, and were drawn from appropriate subject disciplines within the Fellowship. Referees Reports vary in content between terse notes recommending acceptance or rejection to long monographs devoted to the subject under review. Much of their interest derives from the comment of one scientist on the work of another, for example Michael Faraday on J P Joule (RR.3.154,158) or Sir Oliver Lodge on Ernest Rutherford (RR.13.106).

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Chronologically by year. Early reports are bound into volumes for the period 1832-1902, and one box of additional papers for 1838-1848. Then the series continues as boxes of loose papers to date. There are 6,094 Reports for 1832-1917, after which the papers are unsorted. From 1932 Reports on withdrawn papers began to be kept as separate annual bundles.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open.

Conditions governing reproduction

No publication without written permission. Apply to Archivist in the first instance.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Catalogued on cards in the General Card Catalogue under authors names. No list exists of Reports on withdrawn papers. Detailed catalogue available at http://www.a2a.pro.gov.uk

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Royal Society

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area