Impact factor: a valid measure of journal quality?
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OBJECTIVES: Impact factor, an index based on the frequency with which a journal's articles are cited in scientific publications, is a putative marker of journal quality. However, empiric studies on impact factor's validity as an indicator of quality are lacking. The authors assessed the validity of impact factor as a measure of quality for general medical journals by testing its association with journal quality as rated by clinical practitioners and researchers. METHODS: We surveyed physicians specializing in internal medicine in the United States, randomly sampled from the American Medical Association's Physician Masterfile (practitioner group, n = 113) and from a list of graduates from a national postdoctoral training program in clinical and health services research (research group, n = 151). Respondents rated the quality of nine general medical journals, and we assessed the correlation between these ratings and the journals' impact factors. RESULTS: The correlation between impact factor and physicians' ratings of journal quality was strong (r2 = 0.82, P = 0.001). The correlation was higher for the research group (r2 = 0.83, P = 0.001) than for the practitioner group (r2 = 0.62, P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Impact factor may be a reasonable indicator of quality for general medical journals. (+info)
Current issues in the design of academic health sciences libraries: findings from three recent facility projects.
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Planning a new health sciences library at the beginning of the twenty-first century is a tremendous challenge. Technology has radically changed the way libraries function in an academic environment and the services they provide. Some individuals question whether the library as place will continue to exist as information becomes increasingly available electronically. To understand how libraries resolve programming and building design issues, visits were made to three academic health sciences libraries that have had significant renovation or completed new construction. The information gathered will be valuable for planning a new library for the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and may assist other health sciences librarians as they plan future library buildings. (+info)
Developing an academic medical library core journal collection in the (almost) post-print era: the Florida State University College of Medicine Medical Library experience.
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The Florida State University (FSU) College of Medicine Medical Library is the first academic medical library to be established since the Web's dramatic appearance during the 1990s. A large customer base for electronic medical information resources is both comfortable with and eager to migrate to the electronic format completely, and vendors are designing radical pricing models that make print journal cancellations economically advantageous. In this (almost) post-print environment, the new FSU Medical Library is being created and will continue to evolve. By analyzing print journal subscription lists of eighteen academic medical libraries with similar missions to the community-based FSU College of Medicine and by entering these and selected quality indicators into a Microsoft Access database, a core list was created. This list serves as a selection guide, as a point for discussion with faculty and curriculum leaders when creating budgets, and for financial negotiations in a broader university environment. After journal titles specific to allied health sciences, veterinary medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, library science, and nursing were eliminated from the list, 4,225 unique journal titles emerged. Based on a ten-point scale including SERHOLD holdings and DOCLINE borrowing activity, a list of 449 core titles is identified. The core list has been saved in spreadsheet format for easy sorting by a number of parameters. (+info)
The landmark citation method: analysis of a citation pattern as a collection assessment method.
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The landmark citation method is a new collection assessment method based on the citation record of a single landmark article. This citation record is developed by identifying sources which cite the landmark article. A bibliography, extracted from the citation record, is then used to complete an assessment of the collection. This method was developed and used to assess the biotechnology collection of the National Library of Medicine. The information gained from this study, in addition to demonstrating the technique, also provided insight into the evolution of the biotechnology literature. (+info)
The Louis Stokes Health Sciences Library: the Howard University move experience.
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The Louis Stokes Health Sciences Library attributes its successful move to early planning and preparation. Professional literature on the subject as well as consultation with other experienced library personnel also proved beneficial. Utilizing these resources, the committees devised a strategy that supported the library's mission to provide excellent and complete information services for the advancement of health sciences. This paper describes the Howard University Health Sciences Library move experience and offers practical advice for planning a library move. We hope that the information shared will assist other libraries facing a similar challenge. (+info)
A selected, annotated list of materials that support the development of policies designed to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities.
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Research documents the existence of racial and ethnic health disparities. As a result, policy makers are seeking to address these disparities. This list is a starting point for building or updating a collection that supports this policy development process. It is written for health policy librarians and researchers and includes annotated recommendations for books, periodicals, government publications, and Websites. Entries for print publications are primarily from 1998 to 2003. (+info)
Update on inflation of journal prices: Brandon/Hill list journals and the scientific, technical, and medical publishing market.
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OBJECTIVE: The original study of journal prices, using the "Brandon/ Hill Selected List of Books and Journals for the Small Medical Library," was first published in 1980 and periodically updated. This research continues to measure price increases for these titles for the periods 1996 to 1999 and 1999 to 2002. METHODOLOGY: The 111 journal titles that have appeared in each published list from 1967 to 2001 were included in the study. Institutional subscription price data were gathered for each journal for the years 1996, 1999, and 2002 and were compared to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the same years. RESULTS: The average journal price continues to rise significantly and is independent of the CPI. The study found that prices have jumped 51.9% from 1996 to 1999 and 32% from 1999 to 2002, which is consistent with nearly every recent journal price study. CONCLUSION: The unprecedented rise in journal prices negatively affects the purchasing power of medical libraries. This paper examines the economic and technological pressures on the science, technology, and medical journals market that contribute to high prices and identifies a number of initiatives in the biological and health sciences that utilize alternative models for disseminating scientific research. (+info)
Selected list of books and journals in allied health.
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This list of 396 books and 77 journals is intended as a selection guide to be used in a library supporting allied health educational programs or allied health personnel in either an academic or health care setting. Due to the necessity of limiting the scope of coverage because of the large number and wide range of allied health professions and occupations, the recommended publications are focused primarily on the twenty-eight programs accredited by the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation of the American Medical Association, plus physical therapy, dental allied health, medical secretarial, nutrition, and speech pathology/audiology. Books and journals are categorized by subject; the book list is followed by an author/editor index, and the subject list of journals is followed by an alphabetical title listing. Items suggested for initial purchase (194 books and 31 journals) are indicated by asterisks. To purchase the entire collection of books and journals (1992 subscriptions) would require an expenditure of about $22,800. The cost of only the asterisked items totals $10,850. (+info)