COLOSS BEEBOOK concept

Dear COLOSS members, dear honeybee researchers

During the 2009 COLOSS workshop in Bern and during the following events we have decided to work towards internationally recognised methods in honeybee research to favour comparison between results worldwide. We would like to present the concept of an online working platform towards the BEEBOOK and provide the guidelines necessary to initiate this work. 

The idea is to bring the specialists for each method together and for them to agree on those to be established as standard. Working groups will thus be formed and the work needed discussed and performed. The task first will consist in determining which methods need standardization. The second task consists of reviewing the literature and identify the methods already available that can serve as standards. The selection process for the “standard” should be fair and we should consider all published methods. In instances where it is not possible to select a single method as the standard, several methods can be listed with clear description of when to use which methods and what the advantages and disadvantages are. In instances where no method is suitable for a standard, work towards the development of such methods could be envisaged and later published in the BEEBOOK.

To launch this work, a panel of senior authors has been chosen for each of the main topics. The list of topics is not limited and will grow as we progress. The role of the senior authors is to coordinate the development of methods and their publication online.

The researchers contributing to this task need a reward and the best incentive for participation is in form of publications. IBRA has agreed to publish these methodological articles/manual. Authorship on the method papers will, as is usual, be based on the contributions with the senior author as first author. Once the first edition is released, we are planning to take advantage of the internet platform to update the manual in real time as new standards become available. These can then be cited on the basis of the last paper edition and then incorporated in the follwing paper edition.

How do I participate?

As a COLOSS non-member: by invitation by the editotrs and senior authors. For COLOSS members: candidates can send an email to the webmaster containing the (list of) method that they would like to help develop. To ensure the broadest cooperation and later use of the standard produced, the BEEBOOK senior authors will launch calls to participants.

Since information exchanged and published online during the method development is confidential, registration and obtaining a password will be necessary to access the designated part of the website.

Here is a preliminary index of the BEEBOOK: