Perhaps this issue has already been visited. If so, I would appreciate a
copy of present procedures, and if not, perhaps HISTARCH users could
help draft procedures.  After reviewing the most recent "Publication and
Style Guide for Historical Archaeology" (HA 1996 39(3):102-120), I did
not see guidelines for electronic data.
 
What are the accepted rules for professional articles to quote and cite
information acquired from an electronic sites?  With ever-increasing
information (and some of it worth quoting) I am especially concerned for
the lack of archival copies of this data.  How do future users of cited
material locate the copy cited?  Obviously, subsequent seekers may not
be able to return to the cited site.  Is it incumbent upon the person
who cites the material to have downloaded or printed a copy that could
be made available at a later date?  Issues for which I have specific
questions include:
 
Author
   If no individual's name appears, is it appropriate to cite anonymous,
the webmaster, the company?
 
Date
   If no date appears, is it appropriate to cite n.d. or should the date
of acquisiton by the reader be cited?
 
Title
   Titles can be difficult to ascertain.  Should a page title be used,
or treated as a site "chapter"?  I assume an email would qualify as a
personal communication.
 
Publication
   Is the electronic site address the publication, and should it include
the "title" of the site?  Titles are often just the names of
institutions.  With constantly changing addresses, the usefulness of a
specific address will be questionable, but obviously, it has some value.
 
Volume, Series, Page Number, etc.
   Is it appropriate to use the electronic page addresses as volume,
series, page numbers, etc.  Again, the usefulness of such addresses over
time should be addressed.
 
Publisher, City, State, Country
   I assume the publisher would be the institution or person claiming
ownership of the site.  Determining the location of the site could be a
difficult matter (e.g., some web sites only have the email address of
the webmaster).
 
If we are breaking new ground here, perhaps over the next few days,
weeks, etc. our discussions can be drafted for submission to the SHA
Copy-editor, c/o Museum ofPrimitive Art and Culture, P.O. Drawer A,
Peace Dale, RI 02883 (or better yet, sent to their email address if that
can be determined).  I suggest whatever discussions occurs, we submit a
draft as "46. Electronic, unpublished: ......." with suggested examples.