In Defense of Author Prominence: A Reply to Crespi and Korobkin

Abstract

We set out to provide our ranking of specialized reviews for three reasons. First, given the dearth of published information about the specialized law review phenomenon, we sought to provide some basic information about the emergence and explosion of specialized reviews. Second, given limited time and a large number of specialized reviews, we hoped to help readers to make reading decisions and writers to make placement decisions. We did not-and do not-mean to suggest that readers and writers should base their decisions solely on our, or on any other, ranking. But we do suspect that, all other things being equal, readers would prefer to keep abreast of articles written by prestigious authors (or authors affiliated with prestigious institutions), and writers would prefer to place their articles in journals publishing prestigious authors (or authors affiliated with prestigious institutions). Third, and finally, we hoped to spark dialogue and debate about the phenomenon and ranking of specialized journals.