مدتی قبل بعد از ارسال مقاله های خودم برای چاپ در مجلات گوناگون به 2 کلمه انگلیسی برخوردم که در اکثر مجلات علمی وجود دارند ولی تفاوت آنها را به درستی نمی دانستم. تا اینکه در یک وبسایت تونستم مطلبی در این مورد پیدا کنم. متنش به زبان انگلیسی ولی ساده و روان است به همین خاطر دقیقا متن مورد نظر رو در ادامه می گذارم. خیلی جالب است. حتما اگر علاقمند هستید بخونید.

An ‘Editor in Chief’ sets the overall tone for the publication. He chooses direction, article focus, columnists, and so forth. He is, for all purposes senior staff in charge of producing the pub.

A ‘Managing Editor’ is in charge of making the EIC’s wishes and policies come through. The EIC says ‘Let’s have Bill Marriott on the cover. Get someone to interview him. Make sure we have 2 sidebars about how Marriott is bringing joy to the industry’. The Managing Editor takes care of assigning the stories, getting freelancers, arranging photographers, etc. It’s an important job and leaves the EIC free to set policy and wrestle with corporate.

NOTE: Above Marriott example is from real like. I can remember the quote like it was yesterday.

So the EIC sets policy. The ME executes it. Both are important positions (I’ve recently hired both slots, myself) but the EIC is MORE important.

More example: There will only be ONE EIC for each pub and s/he will report directly to the Publisher. However, there can be (in a large enough pub…a newspaper, for example) several ME and Assistant MEs running about.
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