Expert Research Tip: Go back...

What does the 2001 death of a Johns Hopkins research participant have to do with understanding best research practices?  Everything, according to reports of the tragedy that were published in The Lancet in 2001.  In the article (1), author Sarah Ramasay cites "shortcomings in oversight of the research" as an explanation for what may have happened during the trial.  Basically, potential complications for the Johns Hopkins clinical trial appeared in biomedical literature published prior to 1966, but the principal investigator failed to look back that far, thus failing to locate information that would have likely saved the life of the 24-year-old participant.

This leads us to this week's expert research tip:

Relying solely on recent information can be dangerous.  (And this is what you do when you rely on using PubMed or Google Scholar to perform your literature searches).  


In another Lancet article (2) then-President of the Medical Library Association Carol Jenkins asserts that the Hopkins case underscores "the complexity of finding and evaluating biomedical literature." This same article concludes by positing that this situation serves to "highlight the value of older medical literature," and summarizes by saying that new questions very well may be answered in old literature.

Often, we want to limit our searches in PubMed (and other databases) to the most recent 2 or 5 years.  However, situations like the 2001 Johns Hopkins incident highlight why this is so dangerous.  Interestingly, Medline (PubMed) doesn't go back *that far*.  Earlier this year, it extended its reach back to 1947, which is definitely an improvement (3).  When the JHU researcher did his literature search in 2001, Medline only went back to 1966, which was part of the issue.  Similarly, ISI Web of Science only goes back to 1975, and no one really knows what Google Scholar searches, so no one knows how far it goes back, either!

So, how do you make sure you cover your bases and find important information within older literature?  My advice includes several options:

• Always review the references/bibliographic information included in articles that are relevant to your topic. If an article is foundational or seminal in a particular area of research, then your article should be citing it.
• Use databases or even print indexes that go back as far as possible.  VT, for example, has access to Biological Abstracts on paper that goes back to 1926.  Other indexes/archival databases that you could check might include:
• JSTOR Health Sciences, which goes back as far as 1840 for some titles
• American Chemical Society publications, which go back as far as 1879
• Engineering Village, which may have some relevant applied science information going back as far as1884
• ProQuest Historical Periodicals, which offers information from 1740-1900
• And many others, available through University Libraries databases

Although I wouldn't say that it's always necessary to search through 300-year old literature, I want to mention this to remind you all that current information, while desirable, isn't always sufficient.  If you want more suggestions or help with searching older literature, simply contact me!

References
1.  Ramasay S.  Johns Hopkins takes responsibility for volunteer's death.  The Lancet 2001;358:(9277):213.

2.  McLellan, F. 1966 and all that--when is a literature search done?  The Lancet 2001;358:(9282):646.

3.  PubMed extends its reach--biomedical database moves back in time to 1947.  NLM Technical Bulletin  2010; 373:e8.

Friday Fun: New entrance to the library!

Most of you all have probably discovered this by now, but just in case you haven't:  the first floor entrance to Newman Library is now open again!

This is the door that at the bottom of the library, where the study cafe will be coming soon.  A full description of plans for the area can be found here:  http://www.lib.vt.edu/libnews/2010/2010-09-06.html.  Additionally, you can read the entire evolution of the new study cafe in the Study Cafe Construction Log.

The Newman Study Cafe sure has come a long way since January 2010,
when this picture was taken

Change in Librarian Office Hours (Today only!)

Today, September 9, I will be in Wallace 342-A from 4-5 p.m. rather than the usual 3-5 p.m. because of a small scheduling conflict.

Of course, I am also available by appointment or in my Newman Library office.  Use this blog's About the HNFE Librarian page, or visit the College Librarians contact information page to find my contact information.

I look forward to researching with you!

FARQ: Textbooks?

This is another beginning-of-the-semester frequently asked reference question.  Frugal students always want to know:

Where is the library's textbook section?

Image from Educated Nation | Higher Education blog:
http://www.educatednation.com/2009/07/29/free-money-for-textbooks

This FARQ is loaded with several issues that can complicate the search for a textbook that is used in a particular class, and that a student wants to check out.

• First of all, there is no "textbook section" of the library.  If we own a book that your course happens to be using as a textbook, then it will be shelved by its call number within the library. You can use the bookstore's textbook list to discover books that are required for your course, if you don't have your syllabus handy.  

• The best way to search Addison (the library catalog) may be by using a book's ISBN.  You can find that through the textbook list, and then use Addison's Number Search to see if University Libraries owns the book.

• Sometimes, instructors place books on Reserve.  This means that a book will only circulate briefly (2 hours, or 2 days), giving everyone in the class an opportunity to access it.  You an search for reserve books here.  

• If you are an instructor and would like to place items on reserve, you can use the online reserve request form to begin this procedure.  

A more complete description of how University Libraries can help you track down textbooks is available on our website, published as a piece of Library News on August 13.  

Questions?  As always, just let me know!

Tutorial: Renewing Books Online

In (fewer than) 90 seconds, you'll be able to renew books online through My Library Account!


This tutorial is more like a combined tutorial and Frequently-Asked-Reference-Question.  Everyone wants to be able to renew their library items with as little hassle as possible.  Although renewing books online is pretty simple, there are a few restrictions, in general, about library renewals.  For example, DVDs can never be renewed, nor can journals.  A full list of borrowing privileges and restrictions for undergraduates, graduate students, faculty members, and other library users can be found here:  http://www.lib.vt.edu/circ-reserve/borrowing.html

The following tutorials demonstrates the ease with which you can view your library record and renew your books online.

Hint:  for best viewing, enlarge the tutorial to full screen.  On the far right of the toolbar (which pops up after you've hit "play"), there is a square icon that will make the tutorial full screen.  Hitting "Esc" will minimize the tutorial after you've finished watching it.

Peer Review Revised?

Last month, the New York Times published two articles that dealt with the changing nature of peer review.  The first one, published on August 16, discussed a real-time analysis of a mathematical proof on mathematics-related blogs and wikis.  The second one, published on August 23, presented the case of the Shakespeare Quarterly's recent experiment as it invited criticism, via the world wide web, on four articles submitted to the journal.

These two examples indicate that the traditional methods, and notion, of peer review are changing.  Traditionally, we rely on peer review as a sort of quality assurance policy.  Peer reviewed journals are the ones we want to use in research, because we trust that they have been vetted by authorities in the field.  However, the changing nature of publishing and communication seems to be making many people rethink the peer review process.

Politics, competition, and other issues often play a role in the peer review process, too, which is what these articles seem to be getting at.  Revising the peer review process could help alleviate these issues, but also introduce new ones that are not easily alleviated.  As a librarian, I can't foresee a radical change in the peer review process anytime soon, and I will not be changing the way I communicate the "peer review process" to students or select books/journals for the library.  However, these articles did make me realize that critically thinking about the peer review process, and the way we trust information, is always an interesting exercise.

I did a quick keyword search in Addison, just to see what sort of books we may have on the topic, and I found several recent ones that I might recommend, just for some more food for thought:

• Peer Review:  A Critical Inquiry, by David Schatz (2004)
• How Professors Think:  Inside the Curious World of Academic Judgment, by Michele Lamont (2009)
• Peer Review in Health Sciences, edited by Fiona Godlee (2003)

New Books from August 2010--with reviews!

The August 2010 New Book List is up!  Here are a few that I (and hopefully you) find particularly interesting.  Any reviews posted below are available through University Libraries, and may prompt you to log in with your VT PID and password.

Global agro-food trade and standards : challenges for Africa / edited by Peter Gibbon, Stefano Ponte, and Evelyne Lazaro.

Summary, Notes, and Table of Contents available here

Sugar : a bittersweet history / Elizabeth Abbott.

Summary, Notes, and Table of Contents available here

Library Journal review available via Academic Search Complete

Twain's feast : searching for America's lost foods in the footsteps of Samuel Clemens / Andrew Beahrs.

Summary, Notes, and Table of Contents available here

Booklist review available via Academic Search Complete

Hyperspectral imaging for food quality analysis and control / edited by Da-Wen Sun.

Table of Contents available here

Are you waiting for a particular book to appear on the New Books list?  Recommend it to us!  Simply fill out the form here:  https://aqua.lib.vt.edu/Bookorder.php