Papers of possible interest to SIG Metrics readers
Eugene Garfield
eugene.garfield at THOMSONREUTERS.COM
Tue Dec 13 14:14:46 EST 2011
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TITLE: The impact factor of rheumatology journals: an analysis
of 2008 and the recent 10 years (Article, English)
AUTHOR: Chen, M; Zhao, MH; Kallenberg, CGM
SOURCE: RHEUMATOLOGY INTERNATIONAL 31 (12). DEC 2011.
p.1611-1615 SPRINGER HEIDELBERG, HEIDELBERG
SEARCH TERM(S):
IMPACT FACTOR*
GARFIELD E SCIENCE 122:108 1955;
GARFIELD E ANN INTERN MED 105:313 1986
KEYWORDS: Impact factor; Rheumatology; Journals; Clinical medicine
KEYWORDS+: SCIENCE
ABSTRACT: Despite various weaknesses, the impact factor (IF) is
still used as an important indictor for scientific quality in specific subject categories. In the current study, the IFs of rheumatology journals over the past 10 years were serially analyzed and compared with that from other fields. For the past 10 years (1999-2008), the IFs published by the Institute for Scientific Information in the Science Citation Index-Journal Citation Report were analyzed. For the majority of rheumatology journals, the IF shows a gradually increasing trend. The mean and median level of increase of IF from 1999 to 2008 is 233.9 and 66.5%, respectively. The increase in IF from 1999 or the first year with IF documentation to that in 2008 was higher for European journals than for the USA journals. The aggregate IF and the median IF of rheumatology journals remained within the top 30% and top 15% in clinical medical and all the scientific categories, respectively. Over the past 10 years, rheumatology journals showed a general increase in IF and rheumatology remained a leading discipline. For journals in the English language, those from Europe had an even higher increase than those from USA.
AUTHOR ADDRESS: M Chen, Peking Univ, Hosp 1, Div Renal, Dept Med, Beijing
100034, Peoples R China
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TITLE: The birth and growth of a scientific journal (Article,
English)
AUTHOR: Kent, RD
SOURCE: CLINICAL LINGUISTICS & PHONETICS 25 (11-12). NOV 2011.
p.917-921 INFORMA HEALTHCARE, LONDON
KEYWORDS: clinical linguistics; clinical phonetics; publication;
history
ABSTRACT: Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics (CLP) and its namesake
field have accomplished a great deal in the last quarter of a century.
The success of the journal parallels the growth and vitality of the field it represents. The markers of journal achievement are several, including increased number of journal pages published annually; greater diversity of topics related to the core mission of the journal; expanding cross- language coverage; and healthy interactions among editors, reviewers and contributors; and - for better or worse - journal impact factors. A journal is in a competitive dynamic with other journals that share its general domain of scholarship, which is a major reason why an apparent imbalance may emerge in the topic content of any particular journal. The content of a journal is determined by the nature and number of submitted manuscripts. As far as linguistic content goes, CLP's centre of gravity appears to have been mostly in phonology and phonetics, but certainly not to the exclusion of syntax, semantics and pragmatics. The clinical scope is broad, both in terms of concepts and types of disorder. CLP has secured its place among journals in the field, and it is an outlet of choice for many researchers throughout the world.
AUTHOR ADDRESS: RD Kent, Univ Wisconsin, Waisman Ctr, Rm 435,1500 Highland
Ave, Madison, WI 53705 USA
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TITLE: Scientists' Opinions on the Global Status and Management
of Biological Diversity (Article, English)
AUTHOR: Rudd, MA
SOURCE: CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 25 (6). DEC 2011. p.1165-1175
WILEY-BLACKWELL, MALDEN
SEARCH TERM(S): HIRSCH JE P NATL ACAD SCI USA 102:16569 2005
KEYWORDS: best-worst scaling; biodiversity loss; conservation
policy; conservation strategies; latent class; triage;
clase latente; escala mejor-peor; estrategias de
conservacion; perdida de biodiversidad; politicas de
conservacion; triaje
KEYWORDS+: CLIMATE-CHANGE; BIODIVERSITY; SCIENCE; POLICY
ABSTRACT: The large investments needed if loss of biological
diversity is to be stemmed will likely lead to increased public and political scrutiny of conservation strategies and the science underlying them. It is therefore crucial to understand the degree of consensus or divergence among scientists on core scientific perceptions and strategies most likely to achieve given objectives. I developed an internet survey designed to elucidate the opinions of conservation scientists.
Conservation scientists (n =583) were unanimous (99.5%) in their view that a serious loss of biological diversity is likely, very likely, or virtually certain. Scientists agreement that serious loss is very likely or virtually certain ranged from 72.8% for Western Europe to 90.9% for Southeast Asia. Tropical coral ecosystems were perceived as the most seriously affected by loss of biological diversity; 88.0% of respondents familiar with that ecosystem type agreed that a serious loss is very likely or virtually certain. With regard to conservation strategies, scientists most often viewed understanding how people and nature interact in certain contexts and the role of biological diversity in maintaining ecosystem function as their priorities. Protection of biological diversity for its cultural and spiritual values and because of its usefulness to humans were low priorities, which suggests that many scientists do not fully support the utilitarian concept of ecosystem services. Many scientists expressed a willingness to consider conservation triage, engage in active conservation interventions, and consider reframing conservation goals and measures of success for conservation of biological diversity in an era of climate change.
Although some heterogeneity of opinion is evident, results of the survey show a clear consensus within the scientific community on core issues of the extent and geographic scope of loss of biological diversity and on elements that may contribute to successful conservation strategies in the future.
AUTHOR ADDRESS: MA Rudd, Univ York, Dept Environm, York YO10 5DD, N
Yorkshire, England
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TITLE: A review and rationalisation of journal subscriptions
undertaken by a library and information service in a Mental Health Trust
in North-East England in 2009 (Review, English)
AUTHOR: Steele, R
SOURCE: HEALTH INFORMATION AND LIBRARIES JOURNAL 28 (4). DEC
2011. p.256-263 WILEY-BLACKWELL, MALDEN
SEARCH TERM(S): GARFIELD E rauth;
KEYWORDS: collection development; electronic journals; health care;
health science; journals; librarianship; libraries;
marketing and publicity
KEYWORDS+: NURSES; IMPACT; USAGE; CARE
ABSTRACT: Aim: To describe the methods and processes used in an
evaluation of local journal subscriptions in a mental health trust and to suggest possible further areas of investigation were similar exercises to be undertaken again.
Method and Results: Results from a user questionnaire were analysed along with e-journal usage statistics and data from local document supply activity.
Conclusions: Journal reviews can yield surprising results. Carrying out a user survey is valuable in highlighting awareness of e-resources more generally and thus in providing evidence for marketing/information literacy initiatives. Future journal reviews should undertake impact analysis as potent evidence for continued expenditure on journals in this age of austerity.
AUTHOR ADDRESS: R Steele, Lib & Informat Serv Educ Ctr, Lanchester Rd,
Durham DH1 5RD, England
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TITLE: Effectiveness of bibliographic searches performed by
paediatric residents and interns assisted by librarians. A randomised
controlled trial (Article, English)
AUTHOR: Gardois, P; Calabrese, R; Colombi, N; Deplano, A;
Lingua, C; Longo, F; Villanacci, MC; Miniero, R; Piga, A
SOURCE: HEALTH INFORMATION AND LIBRARIES JOURNAL 28 (4). DEC
2011. p.273-284 WILEY-BLACKWELL, MALDEN
SEARCH TERM(S): BIBLIOGRAPHIC* item_title
KEYWORDS: decision support; evidence based library and information
practice; evidence based practice; evidence-based
medicine; health science; health services research;
information seeking behaviour; librarians; library and
information science; reflective practice
KEYWORDS+: EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE; INFORMATION-SEEKING BEHAVIOR; OF-
THE-LITERATURE; QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY; CLINICAL QUESTIONS;
EMPIRIC PROJECT; PRIMARY-CARE; PHYSICIANS; IMPACT; SKILLS
ABSTRACT: Background: Considerable barriers still prevent
paediatricians from successfully using information retrieval technology.
Objectives: To verify whether the assistance of biomedical librarians significantly improves the outcomes of searches performed by paediatricians in biomedical databases using real-life clinical scenarios.
Methods: In a controlled trial at a paediatric teaching hospital, nine residents and interns were randomly allocated to an assisted search group and nine to a non-assisted (control) group. Each participant searched PUBMED and other online sources, performing pre-determined tasks including the formulation of a clinical question, retrieval and selection of bibliographic records. In the assisted group, participants were supported by a librarian with 5 years of experience. The primary outcome was the success of search sessions, scored against a specific assessment tool.
Results: The median score of the assisted group was 73.6 points interquartile range (IQR = 13.4) vs. 50.4 (IQR = 17.1) of the control group. The difference between median values in the results was 23.2 points (95% CI 4.8-33.2), in favour of the assisted group (P-value, Mann- Whitney U test: 0.013).
Conclusions: The study has found quantitative evidence of a significant difference in search performance between paediatric residents or interns assisted by a librarian and those searching the literature alone.
AUTHOR ADDRESS: P Gardois, Univ Sheffield, Sch Hlth & Related Res, 30
Regent St, Sheffield S1 4DA, S Yorkshire, England
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