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.



Regards,



James



James Riste

Library Services Manager



Trust Library

Education Centre

Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust

Pield Heath Road

Uxbridge

Middx UB8 3NN



Tel: 01895 279250

(internal - ext. 3250)

Fax: 01895 234150

Email: [log in to unmask]

http://www.thh.nhs.uk/Departments/Library/library.htm







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