And the Wikipedia articles will self-select themselves as they will have the key words the search engines look for because, however shallow you think wikipedia is, it is broad and all-encompassing. A place of first resort to be worked with and launched out from.IMHO. LindaMM Linda Mace-Michalik (Mrs) Electronic Services Officer North East SHA email: [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: UK medical/ health care library community / information workers [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Little David Sent: 22 March 2011 18:09 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Wikipedia (again) It isn't what we push or promote that matters, it's what comes up on the first page of a Google search. Inevitably, Wikipedia appears, students have heard of it and click the link. Unless another resource can make itself appear above Wikipedia in the results list, it's not going to be used as the first resort. Regards Dave Little Library Services Manager Shrewsbury & Telford Health Libraries -----Original Message----- From: UK medical/ health care library community / information workers [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Derick Yates Sent: 22 March 2011 15:28 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Wikipedia (again) They'd be better off pushing for more use of Medpedia http://www.medpedia.com/ or Scholarpedia http://www.scholarpedia.org/ At least the people who write and maintain those definitely know what they are on about. Derick Yates EBP Tutor BHSN Library Management System Administrator Local Athens Administrator C/O Trust Library and Information Service Birmingham Women's NHS Foundation Trust Mindelsohn Way Edgbaston BIRMINGHAM B15 2TG Tel: 0121 472 1377 extension 8746 Direct Dial Tel: 0121 627 5846 Fax: 0121 623 6922 The BWH library provides you with access to approx 2,500 e-journals. This includes specialist O&G, Midwifery, Paediatric, Neonatal, Pathology and Genetics titles You can access these via the e-journals link from our website at http://www.bwhct.nhs.uk/professionals/library-home You will need to log in with your Athens username and password to access all titles. -----Original Message----- From: UK medical/ health care library community / information workers [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Shaw, Emma L Sent: 22 March 2011 15:24 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Wikipedia (again) Hi All, From our experience with our medical students there is no escaping it. I totally agree with Tricia. I think the best thing is to take the balanced approach and educate them on it. When teaching the 1st year undergraduates on using the library, journals and database etc, we incorporate a slide about it, because we have had several questions about using it. We don't tell them not to use it, that it can be useful to give an overview, but use it with caution. To emphasis this we show them examples of questionable information on it, like for example Patrick Holford's page, the 'nutritionist' who claims vitamin C is better than anti-viral drugs. Ben Goldacre gives a very good example about the reliability of information on Wikipedia in reference to Patrick Holfold's Wikipedia page on his blog http://www.badscience.net/2007/01/doctoring-the-records/ showing how easy it is to remove/edit information on it. This usually gets them interested, and gets the message across. Emma Emma Shaw Liaison Librarian (Medicine) Imperial College London Medical Library Chelsea & Westminster Hospital (LG Floor, Lift bank B) 369 Fulham Road London SW10 9NH Tel: 020 3315 8109 E-mail: [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: UK medical/ health care library community / information workers [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Rey Patricia Sent: 22 March 2011 14:33 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Wikipedia (again) The way I see it, Wikipedia is a useful source of information. However, results should be used with caution. I would use it only as a springboard because... ...an article which today, at this moment is accurate and well-referenced might, in 5 minutes time, have been edited by someone to be inaccurate and unreferenced. As there is little editorial control, there is no way of telling whether the article you are viewing is accurate or not. It can provide a useful overview and starting point but is not impartial or necessarily accurate. I understand that inaccuracies may be rapidly corrected but what are the implications if I access an article before the information has been corrected? I don't think it should be banned by academic institutions but, instead, they should use it to assist discussions into the reliability and appraisal of materials. Tricia Rey Library Services Manager Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust East Grinstead Tel: 01342 414266 Mailto:[log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: UK medical/ health care library community / information workers [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Linda Mace-Michalik Sent: 22 March 2011 14:25 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Wikipedia (again) I am a mother of two university students, one of whom findings journal article searching a nightmare! Wikipedia may be looked down on by the academic community, but if you are a novice trying to gain the first clue about a subject you do not need the might of learned in depth learned articles that are pay by view! You need a starting point that gives a simple entry. Instead of disparaging Wikipedia, we should be adding our own edits to any stub that is poorly referenced/informed so that having gained an insight/overview, the student can then be steered to a sound academic source/search engine/collection. LindaMM Linda Mace-Michalik (Mrs) Electronic Services Officer North East SHA email: [log in to unmask] Library and Information Service Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust Education Centre Lanchester Rd Hospital Lanchester Road Durham DH1 5RD Old Porters Lodge 0191 333 6303 LRH Library 0191 441 5910/12 -----Original Message----- From: UK medical/ health care library community / information workers [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of James Riste Sent: 22 March 2011 14:17 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Wikipedia (again) Hi All Interesting story on the BBC website about academics potentially embracing Wikipedia as a resource: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12809944 Particularly interesting that it is a medical student leading this push to embrace Wikipedia. I'd be interested to know whether any library services are tackling Wikipedia in their information retrieval / critical appraisal training. 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