Occasionally, JABA receives several manuscripts that are related to the same general topic. When this occurs, it makes sense to publish them consecutively in the same issue so that readers can more easily compare and contrast the procedures and results reported in each article. Wayne Fisher and I noticed that several manuscripts were being reviewed as research articles on the topic of choice, and this coincided with a discussion article that Wayne was coauthoring on this topic. We were also aware of several other manuscripts being prepared for submission to JABA on this topic and asked the authors of those manuscripts to expedite their write-ups and the Associate Editors to expedite their reviews. The final product of these efforts is contained in the following special section on choice responding. Any feedback on the use of special sections in JABA is welcome.
For some time, I have been considering various options related to forging more direct links between the work of Skinner and applied behavior analysis. For me, as for others of my generation, the link was established through my attendance at Skinner's talks, through my reading of his books and articles, and occasionally through direct correspondence or discussion at a conference. I have been concerned that, over time, those links between Skinner and applied behavior analysis may fade as new generations of students enter our field without being able to listen to or interact with him directly. When I received the unsolicited manuscript from Robert Epstein that appears in this issue, I decided (along with the review panel) that the manuscript should be published in JABA because it helps to establish one of those links. Testimonials are rarely published in JABA and should remain rare, given that the primary mission of JABA is to disseminate original research. However, JABA can also serve other missions that may facilitate the advancement of our discipline. As the flagship journal for applied behavior analysis, JABA needs to take the lead in forging new directions. For example, the discussion articles on basic research are leading to an increasing number of bridge studies that link basic processes to applications with socially meaningful behavior. A similar type of link to Skinner, Keller, and other pioneers in our field seems warranted. Other testimonials, discussion articles, or reviews will be welcomed by JABA and considered for publication in the same manner as any other submitted manuscript. I welcome any comments or feedback that you care to send to me on this perspective.
David P. Wacker, Editor