NOTE 



TITLES OF BEHAVIOR PAPERS 

 WALTER S. HUNTER 



Professor Yerkes has suggested that I embody in a note 

 certain views concerning the titles of behavior papers. All 

 students who read widely and at the same time selectively are 

 handicapped by the very frequent inability to determine the 

 contents of a paper from a perusal of its title. Problem and 

 animal bibliographies are difficult to compile for the same reason. 

 If this is true now, when the science is but well begun, how 

 much more true will it be ten or twenty years hence, unless 

 some change is instituted? The suggestion is, therefore, made 

 that titles of behavior papers include the names of all animals 

 tested as well as a specific characterization of the nature of 

 the problem. Popular names, e.g., raccoon, dove or pig are 

 preferable for vertebrates at least. Technical names, e.g., 

 Procyon lotor and Sus scrofa, may be added when deemed neces- 

 sary. The title " Maze habits in the white rat and the dog ' 

 is thus preferable to "A study in habit formation." ' The 

 delayed reaction in rats, dogs, raccoons and children ' would 

 be preferable to ' The delayed reaction in animals and children." 



Titles constructed on the basis here suggested will possibly 

 be longer than is usual at present. What we desire, however, is 

 clearness and efficiency and not aesthetic satisfaction. 



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