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The Human Sciences Working Papers Archive is designed to facilitate communication across the human sciences, to stimulate comment, and to make ideas quickly available. A working paper is a pre-publication that is circulated to colleagues at the local level, via the Internet, or through conferences. Despite access to publishing options in the human sciences, the opportunity is largely unavailable (at least nationally and internationally) for sharing working papers of innovative theoretical notions, theory-generating research, and research in progress. The editorial process is lengthy and uncertain, and more than half are rejected on average. Even Nobel Laureates have experienced rejection. The greater problem is for professionals and the public who never have the opportunity to explore the current work and new findings.

Working papers archives are well developed in finance, economics, business, linguistics, population research, medicine, sciences of various kinds, sociology, among others. A review of working papers archives revealed a variation in paper acceptance. Working papers were found at two centers that serve the human sciences: Center for Working Families at UC-Berkeley and Center on Everyday Lives of Families at UCLA. These two centers limit contributions to center scholars whereas many of the archives are available to authors-at-large.

It is well known that the peer-reviewed publishing enterprise has become a major evaluation device for higher education tenure and promotion committees in determining quality. Although admirable causes, publishers are subtly controlled by rejection rates and pressures to put priority on individual needs rather than the scholarship and research of the field. The escalating cost of publishing has placed budget concerns ahead of decisions about the scholarly resources of fields of study. Then, too, authors often have to meet unacceptable limitations on length of a manuscript, and many have difficulty finding a publication outlet because of the nature of their work. Thus, the working papers archive serves individual needs and expands the available literature.

The working papers archive movement is supported by electronic publishing technology by a university that has a leading program in a field (Population Research Institute at Penn State University), collaborative fields (Center for Political Studies and the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan), a professional association (American Academy of Arts & Sciences), or a for-profit company (Insights into Finance & Economics). An example of an ambitious project is the one funded by the National Science Foundation: the National Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology Education Digital Library (NSDL) that collects the peer-reviewed literature as well as the working (active) literature in these fields. The technology revolution has enabled a rich and engaging new environment for active, inquiry-driven learning, but it is often difficult to identify high quality and appropriate material. The public has few clues for judging quality. Nutrition, for example, suffers from self-described nutritionists and authors who have their own products to promote on the Internet. Thus, a national resource of working papers provides a valuable benefit to professionals, the public, and the human sciences.

The Human Sciences Working Papers Archive:

• Establishes minimum standards for working papers;
• Provides a forum for the review and recognition of working papers;
• Provides resources for teaching and learning at the pre-college,
  undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education levels;
• Provides resources for practitioners and the public that meet minimal standards (see Submit a Paper);
• Disseminates ideas and research in a timely manner; and
• Provides a framework for facilitating the work of people in different settings.