Writing papers about the Voynich MS

[RenegadeHealer]

You simply cannot expect to publish anything in an area in which you cannot demonstrate prior knowledge.

I agree with this.

If I wanted to write a paper about [x], I better have a relevant degree and I better know the relevant recent publications on this topic.

I don't think this logically follows, though.

Bottom line, I need to support any factual claim I make. It doesn't really matter who I am or how I do it, as long as I am prepared to show where I learned anything I state as fact. Having a degree, and/or years of work experience in the field relevant to the claim certainly lends a lot of credibility to a claim, no argument there. But technically speaking, an amateur enthusiast of any field of endeavor could do and cite the relevant research to back up a novel factual claim. Lacking the backing of an established institution in good standing, [s]he should expect closer scrutiny and more frequent challenges to the smaller factual claims that build up to the large one, than an accredited expert in the field would anticipate. It's an undertaking for the adventurous, and not at all thin-skinned. But at the end of the day, well-collected data and well-sourced facts stacked together in a logically coherent fashion speak for themselves.

I'll only speak for myself, but I accept and have actually developed a fondness for the gritty Wild West / pirate's cove feel of Voynich studies. Come here with a discerning eye, and the cream rises to the top and the dregs settle out.

As for new VMs related papers, I recommend skipping right to the end and looking at the bibliography / references. Think of a Voynichero's bibliography as his/her answer to the question, Who taught you all you know about the VMs? It should be a pretty good indicator of whether they have a comprehensive and up-to-date enough understanding of the basic established facts, to support the new factual claims they're making.