This week in April is National Library Week. Are you a big fan of libraries? Now might be a fantastic opportunity to ask yourself: what are some of my favorite library experiences? Maybe you found a favorite book series or a quiet study place for an important exam. One couple in Texas even had a beautiful Library themed wedding!
Some accomplishments that we are proud of: Staff Updates:
Following Anne Linton’s many years of incredible service, Laura Abate accepted her promotion to Director of Himmelfarb Library in July 2022!
Former Serials Librarian Ruth Bueter was promoted to Associate Director of Library Operations in early March 2023. Thank you to JoLinda Thompson for her great work as Interim Associate Director of Library Operations!
Himmelfarb welcomed new staff: Our reference team has grown over the past year with the addition of Rachel Brill (Reference and Instruction Librarian), Deborah Wassertzug (Reference and Instruction Librarian), and Temitayo Wolff (Reference Specialist).
Our Metadata Specialist, Brittany Smith is relentlessly working on her Master of Library Science at the University of North Carolina - Greensboro.
Catherine Sluder, BloedornTechnology Center Manager, received the 2022 SMHS Dean's Excellence in Service Award. Bravo!
Himmelfarb Librarians have been busy publishing in the last year too! Several Himmelfarb Librarians and staff have upcoming publications, conference posters, and presentations just around the corner.
If you aren’t yet in the library spirit, we challenge you to read a book this season! Reading has been shown to reduce stress, muscle tension and to slow your heart rate. At Himmelfarb Library, we continue to be honored to serve such a diverse, talented, and intellectual group of students, staff, and faculty members here at GW. Raise High!
Proquest will discontinue RefWorks Classic in June 2023. All users should move to the new and improved RefWorks interface. The upgraded version of the software has new functions, such as drag-and-drop functionality, enhanced sharing features, project management, and a PDF annotation function.
Instructions on how to upgrade your existing account to the new RefWorks interface can be found at RefWorks: Access. Also, Himmelfarb Library offers valuable information to assist users who are new to RefWorks. Review the library’s libguide RefWorks New to get started.
It’s less than a month from the end of the spring 2023 semester and graduation. Congratulations to all of our prospective graduates in the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Nursing, and School of Public Health! It’s been a privilege to support you on your health sciences education journey.
Whether you’re graduating or just taking a break, here are some tips for a smooth transition.
Returning Library Materials
Before you leave campus or go on that big vacation, check your library account to make sure you don’t need to return materials to us or another Washington Research Library Consortium partner library. Our returns page has instructions for how to return materials on campus or how to ship them back to us. Himmelfarb no longer charges fines for most overdue materials until they are assumed lost (41 days past the due date). Check our guide on loan periods, renewals, and fines for more information.
If you borrowed materials on interlibrary loan, check your Docs2Go account for due dates and be sure to get them turned in on-time for delivery back to their home library.
If you need library materials for over the summer study, research, or preparations for next fall, check in with our Circulation Desk staff at mlbcir@gwu.edu or 202-994-2962.
If you have personal books you no longer need, Himmelfarb’s donation cart will be at the library entrance starting Tuesday, April 25th.
Studying at Himmelfarb
In the next few weeks, the library will be full of students doing intensive study. Know our study zones before you arrive so you can find the best spot for the type of work you’re planning to do at Himmelfarb. Some areas are reserved for quiet study (2nd floor) while others allow quiet conversation and collaboration.
A reminder also that study rooms must be reserved in advance. Use our scheduling tool to find a space that suits your needs.
Preparing for Upcoming Classes
Are you an instructor preparing to teach classes this summer or fall? You can place items on reserve using our course reserves request forms. If you need materials purchased for future classes, contact Ian Roberts at imroberts@gwu.edu. To request audiovisual materials, please contact Catherine Sluder at crharris@gwu.edu.
If you would like a Himmelfarb librarian embedded in an upcoming BlackBoard class, reach out to Tom Harrod at tph@gwu.edu.
Earth Day is April 22nd, and Himmelfarb Library wants to encourage you to celebrate by making small changes to help keep our planet healthy - because healthy living is easiest on a healthy planet. Here are 10 simple choices you can make to have a healthy impact on our planet this Earth Day and every day!
Drive Less: Driving may be a convenient way to get from point A to point B, but there are numerous planet-friendly options that have a much lighter impact on the environment. Biking or walking when you’re going shorter distances are great options to decrease your carbon footprint and to get in some great exercise too! If your destination is too far to walk or bike, consider taking public transportation like Metro.
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle: By now, you’re likely familiar with the 3 R’s of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Reducing the number of things you throw away starts by being aware of the amount of packaging in the things you purchase. Try to purchase options with minimal unnecessary packaging, so the amount of packaging you throw into the trash can or recycle bin is reduced. Reuse and/or repurpose items as much as possible. Instead of throwing away that peanut butter jar, could you reuse it for another purpose after it’s been washed? If you really don’t have another use for an object, do your best to recycle it when you’re finished with it.
Choose Sustainable Seafood: If you eat fish, making sure your seafood choices are sustainable can have a positive impact on the environment. Whether you choose sustainably wild-caught or sustainably farmed seafood, sustainable seafood is harvested or farmed in a way that allows species to reproduce and the habitats the species call home to thrive. To learn more about how to make sustainable seafood choices, visit www.FishWatch.gov.
Plant a Tree: Trees are incredibly important in the fight against climate change. Trees not only provide the oxygen we need to breathe, but they also help clean that air. Many of the products we use every day come from trees - wood furniture, wood framing in buildings, paper, cardboard boxes, and that delicious maple syrup on your pancakes! When making purchases of tree-based products such as paper, choose products that are sustainably harvested from companies that have responsible environmental practices. And do your part to help clean the air you breathe by planting a tree!
Conserve Water: By cutting down on the amount of water you use, you can help reduce the amount of runoff and wastewater that eventually ends up in the earth’s waterways and oceans. There are lots of little things you can do to make a big impact! From fixing leaky faucets, taking shorter showers, turning off the water while you brush your teeth, to only running the dishwasher when it’s full, composting food waste instead of using the garbage disposal, and only washing full loads of laundry - you can save water every day by making easy, small choices. To learn more about things you can do to conserve water, check out the EPA’s WaterSense website.
Shop Wisely: As a consumer, you can make your voice and your values heard with the purchasing choices you make. If you value recycling, make a point to purchase items made from recycled materials instead of options that are made from new raw materials. Buy items that have less packaging and will therefore create less waste. Use reusable shopping bags, a choice that is not only good for the environment but will save you the bag tax in many areas.
Don’t Send Chemicals into Waterways: Use non-toxic chemicals and products whenever possible to prevent harmful chemicals from ending up on our waterways. Non-toxic, plant-based products are widely available for a wide variety of products including dish soap, laundry detergent, cleaning products, and hand soaps.
Switch to Long-Lasting Lightbulbs: Energy-efficient light bulbs not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but they can also help you save on your electricity bill! According to the U.S. Department of Energy, LED light bulbs “use at least 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent lighting” and can last three to five times longer than compact fluorescent bulbs (United States Department of Energy, n.d.). Want to save even more? Turn the lights off when you leave a room!
Educate: If you want to make an impact on the environment, the best thing you can do is to educate yourself on things you can do to make a difference. Once you know more, you can do more to further your impact!
Volunteer: Lastly, volunteer for community cleanups, watershed projects, and environmental projects. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in the region, including with DC’s Department of Energy and Environment, and on-campus through GW Sustainability and a variety of student groups.
Celebrate Earth Day this year by making small changes that can have a big impact on the planet! Healthy living is easiest on a healthy planet, so do your part to keep our planet healthy and thriving.
References:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Ocean Service. (n.d.). Protecting our planet starts with you. National Ocean Service. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/ocean/earthday.html
Himmelfarb’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee (DEI Committee) is pleased to announce the release of the new Antiracism in Healthcare research guide! This guide is one of many ways Himmelfarb Library is showing its commitment to cultivating an inclusive and welcoming environment within the library. The guide features healthcare organizations, journal collections, virtual tutorials and more to help you learn about antiracism and racial biases in healthcare. Some of the resources listed include:
Please note that some of the resources, such as ebooks and journal collections, may require GW credentials to access.
The DEI Committee envisions this guide growing over time and we are interested in community feedback and being transparent about the selection process. To show our commitment to community building and transparency, the resource selection criteria is featured on the guide’s homepage and the Committee will evaluate suggested resources based on the five listed categories and evaluation questions. Students, staff and faculty members are invited to submit resources they believe will make an excellent addition to the guide. If there is a book, documentary, podcast show/episode, online training, healthcare organization or other valuable resource that you believe should be included, please fill out the ‘Resource Suggestion Google Form’.
Additionally, if you are a member of a GWU organization and would like for your organization to be featured on the research guide or if you’re interested in partnering with the DEI Committee, please contact the current committee chair, Rachel Brill, at rgbrill@gwu.edu!
Himmelfarb Library recently expanded our collection of suicide and suicidology books with the help of a generous gift from Dr.Seymour Perlin, MD, and his wife Ruth Perlin. Dr. Perlin was a professor of psychiatry and the director of GW’s psychiatry residency program from 1977 to 1998. Two books included in this collection were written by Dr. Perlin and were donated by Dr. Perlin.
A Handbook for the Understanding of Suicide, written and donated by Dr. Perlin, is available in the book stacks on the basement level (call number: HV6545 .H27 1994). This book reviews a wide range of information from a variety of disciplines on suicide. It offers historical, literary, philosophical, and social science points of view in addition to a psychiatric discussion of suicidal behavior. A Handbook for the Study of Suicide, also written and donated by Dr. Perlin, is available in the books stacks (HV6545 .H27 1979).
A full list of the items purchased for this collection is available on our New Books collection page. Here’s a brief overview of the available titles:
Advancing Suicide Research (Kairi Kõlves, Merike Sisask, Peeter Värnik, Airi Värnik, and Diego DeLeo): Written by leading researchers in the field, this is a comprehensive toolbox of current best practices in suicide research, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research in suicide prevention from a public health perspective. Proper use of epidemiological measures and study designs, definitional issues, historical background, and ethical aspects of suicide research are also discussed. Location: Book stacks. Call number: HV6545 .A38 2021
Alternatives to Suicide: Beyond Risk and Toward a Life Worth Living (Andrew C. Page and Werner Stritzke): This book illustrates how fostering resilience and a desire for life can broaden and advance an understanding of suicide. Summarizing the existing literature, this book outlines a new focus on the interplay of risk and resilience that leads to a life-focus approach to suicide prevention. Emerging technologies and advances in data analytics using real-time monitoring of suicide dynamics and their use in suicide research and prevention are also covered. Location: Book stacks. Call Number: HV6545 .A48 2020.
The American Psychiatric Association Publishing Textbook of Suicide Risk Assessment and Management (written by Liza Gold, and Richard Frierson): This e-book offers new perspectives on suicide including medical and social use of destigmatizing and more precise language and covers issues related to suicide including suicide risk factors and their clinical implications, nonfatal, self-injurious behavior, physician-assisted suicide, and teaching suicide risk assessment and management as part of psychiatric residency programs. Increased suicide rates among specific populations are also examined.
Building a Life Worth Living: A Memoir (Marsha Lienhan): In this memoir, author Marsha Lienhan details her journey from a suicidal teenager to a world-renowned developer of life-saving behavioral therapy dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), using her own struggle to develop life skills for others. Location: Book stacks. Call Number: RJ506.S9 L56 2020.
Community Interventions to Prevent Veteran Suicide: The role of Social Determinants (Laura Yoder, rapporteur): This electronic conference proceeding summarizes the presentations and discussion of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine March 2022 symposium with the same title. Relevant social, cultural, and economic factors that influence suicide risk among veterans are discussed. Applications for applying current suicide prevention best practices and treatment at a community level are also explored.
Managing Suicidal Risk: A Collaborative Approach (David A. Jobes and Marsha Linehan, foreward): This e-book provides essential tools and guidance for assessing and treating a suicidal patient. Step-by-step instructions and forms for evaluating suicidal risk, developing a suicide-specific outpatient treatment plan, and tracking clinical progress and outcomes are provided.
The Oxford Handbook of Suicide and Self-Injury (Matthew Nock): This book is available in print and electronically. This comprehensive handbook provides a summary of the most important and exciting advances in suicide and self-injury and the ability to predict and prevent it. Print Copy Location: New Book Shelf (Himmelfarb 1st Floor). Call Number: HV6545 .O9394 2014.
Physician Suicide: Cases and Commentaries (Peter Yellowlees): Available in print and electronically, this book explores the culture of medical training and practice, burnout, anxiety, depression, and addiction can lead to suicide among physicians through fictional cases. Ways to mitigate these factors and improve physician health and well-being are explored and case studies are accompanied by literature reviews with resources for further reading. Print Copy Location: New Book Shelf. Call Number: R690 .Y45 2019.
Preventing Suicide: The Solution Focused Approach (John Henden): This e-book explores secondary suicide prevention, evidence-based solution-focused brief therapy, risk assessment, management, and medication. This new edition takes an empathetic and validating approach to work with individuals considering suicide.
Suicidal Behavior (Richard T. McKeon): This new edition explores the latest approaches to the assessment and treatment of suicidal behavior. Topics covered include epidemiological data, the role of opioid use problems, personality disorders, and trauma play in suicide. Location: Book Stacks. Call Number: RC569 .M41 2022
Suicide Assessment and Treatment Planning: A Strengths-Based Approach (John Sommers-Flanagan, Rita Sommers-Flanagan): This e-book provides a holistic, wellness-oriented approach to understanding suicide and working effectively with individuals who are suicidal. A culturally sensitive, seven-dimension model offers methods to collaboratively integrate solution-focused and strengths-based strategies into clinical interactions and treatment planning. Case studies, practitioner guidance, personal and professional self-care techniques, ethical issues, and counselor competencies are included.
Suicide Prevention: An Ethically and Scientifically Informed Approach (Samuel Knapp): Offering essential information about assessing, managing, and providing mental health treatment for suicidal adult outpatients, this book guides the reader through the process of treating suicidal patients, from screening to relapse prevention. Location: Book stacks. Call Number: HV6545 .K537 2020.
Why People Die by Suicide (Thomas Joiner Jr.): Following a suicide, the most troubling questions are often the most difficult to answer. How could we have known? What could we have done? Why? Written by a clinical psychologist whose own life has been touched by suicide, this book offers a clear account of why some people choose to die. Location: Book stacks. Call Number: HV6545 .J65 2007.
Photo: Jose Ramon Pato from Coruña, España, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
If you’ve watched the hit show The Last of Us, you probably know about the “zombie fungus” cordyceps and would prefer to avoid it like the plague. Cordyceps is actually a highly coveted ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine. But what is it? And could this “zombie fungus” actually be useful in treating certain medical conditions?
Cordyceps is a fungus parasite that typically lives on caterpillars and other insects in the mountains of China (Natural Medicines, 2023b). To grow, cordyceps attach to a host, often a caterpillar, and the fungus root structure (mycelia) eventually spread throughout the host’s body, until the fungus has taken over the host’s tissue completely, thus killing the host (Natural Medicines, 2023a). The Last of Us portrays cordyceps as prevalent in the wild, but it’s actually pretty hard to find. So difficult to find in the wild, that the cordyceps that end up in commercial products (including dietary supplements with purported “anti-aging” benefits) are grown and fermented in a lab (Natural Medicines, 2023a).
While Cordyceps does “induce zombielike symptoms in insects” (Hume, 2023), it might help improve immunity and have positive effects on cancer and tumor size (Natural Medicines, 2023a). There is currently a lack of large, randomized controlled clinical trials on the use of cordyceps, which makes it difficult to make definitive statements about its efficacy (Lexicomp, 2020). However, it has been used in doses of 3-6 grams daily for up to one year with apparent safety (Natural Medicines, 2023b).
Cordyceps had traditionally been used to “improve weakness, impotence, and fatigue associated with aging” in elderly populations (Lexicomp, 2020). It has also been shown to produce modest improvements in biomarkers in some patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), as well as modestly improve COPD symptoms (Natural Medicines, 2023b). However, it’s important to note that the studies that produced these results were small clinical studies and that further research is needed. Cordyceps has also historically been used to treat heart disease, showing improvement in cardiac function, arrhythmias, and overall quality of life (Lexicomp, 2020). Again, it’s important to note that these results have not yet been confirmed by large, high-quality clinical trials (Lexicomp, 2020).
While cordyceps is enjoying a resurgence in popularity and is being discussed more widely thanks to the popularity of The Last of Us, more research is needed to determine if it has safe and effective medicinal uses, and there has yet to be any sound scientific evidence that supports it use (Natural Medicines, 2023a). However, perhaps its recent popularity will result in further research on cordyceps and its potential uses.
Photo by Ivan Samkov on Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-man-in-medical-gown-using-a-smartphone-4989177/
Himmelfarb Library offers a couple of apps to help stay current with health sciences literature. Browzine is an e-journals app that allows users to follow publications the library subscribes to. Search by title, ISSN, or subject to find your favorite journals and then set up a personal bookshelf for easy access to table of contents and full-text, or have table of contents sent to you via a notification feature when new issues are available. Browzine integrates with Zotero, Mendeley, and RefWorks to help you organize (and cite!) the articles you read. You can also download full-text for offline reading. Set up a free account by accessing Browzine and selecting My BookShelf. You can download the app from the Apple and Google app stores.
Read by QxMD is another app that allows you to follow specific health sciences journals or subject areas. Read is like a social media app that will tailor your feed based on what you like or follow. The primary content source for Read is PubMed and new articles become available in Read as they are added to the PubMed database. Read recently began including preprint content from medRxiv, bioRxiv, and Research Square. Note that there is some sponsored content on Read which is highlighted and identified as promoted.
Read recently introduced 2 Minute Medicine Collections that feature a brief synopsis of newly published articles in a specialty. Each article’s level of evidence is indicated.
Read by QxMD 2 Minute Medicine Collections and Summary
Read is a current awareness tool that relies on keyword searching and algorithms for article retrieval. It is not recommended for in depth research or finding the best evidence for patient care. For complex queries that need regular update, consider setting up a database alert from PubMed or Scopus. Instructions for setting up an alert are on the Keeping Up with Health Sciences Information Research Guide, or reach out to our reference team at himmelfarb@gwu.edu or library chat for assistance.
Download the Read app for either Apple or Android devices and set up a free account. Choosing George Washington University as your institution will provide access to Himmelfarb Library subscription full-text as well as open access content. Once your account is set up you can choose to follow topics based on keyword search, specialty, specific journals, or curated collections. You can also set up your own collections and opt to share them.
Trans and gender diverse people often report encountering many barriers to care when seeking health care services. According to researchers, some of these barriers include trans and gender diverse people being uninsured/underinsured, patients having to teach their providers about transgender health, experiencing transphobic discrimination during healthcare visits, and a general lack of healthcare providers knowledgeable about transgender health (Safer et al., 2016; Warner & Mehta, 2021). Citing the 2015 United States Transgender Survey, Warner & Mehta write that “Among the conclusions provided, 33% of respondents seen by a healthcare provider within the year prior to completing the survey reported having at least one negative experience related to their gender identity” (Warner & Mehta, 2021, pg. 3359).
Providing a safe and nonjudgmental healthcare environment is necessary when interacting with any patient. Many trans and gender diverse people report that many of the solutions are relatively simple and will improve the quality of care for everyone. In an effort to continue the discussion on supporting the trans community, particularly in healthcare settings, this article will serve as a follow-up post to our recent article International Transgender Day of Visibility, and provides tips on how to interact with trans and gender diverse patients.
Tips:
Use a patient’s personal name and pronouns: A simple way to make trans and gender diverse patients comfortable is by using their personal name and pronouns. If you are unsure of how to refer to your patients, ask what their pronouns are and how they would like to be referred to. You can also offer your name and pronouns first and offer them the opportunity to share their information. In an article in Healthline, KB Brookins also suggests providers evaluate their intake forms and include information fields such as “Legal name for insurance, chosen name/nickname, sex assigned at birth (if necessary), sex listed on insurance, pronouns, gender identity, sexual orientation (if necessary)” (Brookins, 2022). Consider leaving open fields for people to write in their responses instead of checking off a set number of boxes. Using a person’s correct pronouns and name will build trust between patients and providers and this will encourage patients to return for future appointments.
Do not ask personal questions not related to care: Trans and gender diverse people are subjected to frequent and invasive questioning about their bodies or any medical procedures they may have experienced. This form of questioning is deeply personal and can make trans and gender diverse people uncomfortable. Vermeir, Jackson & Marshall write “Many trans people encounter HCPs [healthcare providers] who ask inappropriate questions regarding their trans identity or bodies, or questions that are irrelevant to their care” (Vermeir, Jackson & Marshall, 2018, pg. 16). To avoid these uncomfortable situations, Vermeir et al. suggests that providers maintain professional boundaries and ask questions that are directly related to the reasons behind a patient’s current visit. “Participants recommended that HCPs remember that a patient’s purpose is not to satisfy one’s interest, and that even if a question is relevant to one’s care, it must be asked with sensitivity and appropriateness” (Vermeir, Jackson & Marshall, 2018, pg. 16).
Learn more about the community from multiple perspectives: Understanding the transgender community allows providers to better understand their patients’ needs and provide a high standard of care. It may seem easy to ask your patients about the history and current state of the transgender community, but some trans and gender diverse people report that they feel burdened when placed in this position. There are organizations, novels, memoirs, historical accounts, and other resources that may serve as appropriate sources of information. Resources will be listed in the ‘Reference’ section. Here is a brief selection of titles:
John Hopkins Center for Transgender and Gender Expansive Health offers healthcare services to transgender youth and adults. Their ‘Clinician Resources’ section also offers “a variety of clinical resources from Johns Hopkins and beyond to help you provide high-quality care to patients” (John Hopkins University, 2023). These resources are an excellent way to learn from other clinicians and providers.
These tips are just a starting point for treating transgender and gender diverse patients with respect and dignity. Vermeir, Jackson & Marshall also suggest that educational organizations broaden the scope of their curriculums to include transgender health and healthcare. The authors say “...we believe that there is also a need for education organizations and regulatory bodies to incorporate this topic into their curriculums and continuing education opportunities to promote HCPs’ cultural competence including an acknowledgment of the power differentials between HCPs and trans patients” (Vermeir, Jackson & Marshall, 2018, pg. 15). Ultimately, healthcare providers must listen to transgender and gender diverse patients and unlearn any biases they may have about the transgender community. By incorporating these and other tips into your practice, you will build trust with your trans and gender diverse patients making it easier to meet their healthcare needs.
Safer, J.D., Coleman, E., Feldman, J., Garofalo, R., Hembree, W., Radix, A., Sverlius, J. (2016). Barriers to Health Care for Transgender Individuals. Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Obesity, 23(2), 168-171. https://doi.org/10.1097/MED.0000000000000227
Vermeir, E., Jackson, L.A. & Marshall, E.G. (2018). Improving Healthcare Providers’ Interactions with Trans Patients: Recommendations to Promote Cultural Competence. Healthcare Policy, 14(1), 11-18. https://doi.org/10.12927/hcpol.2018.25552
Warner, D.M. & Mehta, A.H. (2021). Identifying and Addressing Barriers to Transgender Healthcare: Where We Are and What We Need to Do About It. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 36(11), 3559-3561. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-021-07001-2
Hindawi, an Open Access journal publisher once identified by Jeffrey Beall as a potentially predatory publisher and later labeled as a “borderline case” by Beall, has made great efforts to transform its reputation into that of a reputable, scholarly publisher. The publisher was purchased by Wiley in January 2021, and many hoped that the purchase would add a layer of trustworthiness and legitimacy to the once-questionable publisher’s practices. Recent developments have proved that the path toward implementing scholarly publishing best practices is a long, uphill struggle for Hindawi and Wiley.
In late March 2023, Clarivate removed 19 Hindawi journals from Web of Science when they released the monthly update of their Master Journal List. These 19 journals published 50% of articles published in Hindawi journals in 2022 (Petrou, 2023). The removal of these journals from Web of Science comes after Wiley disclosed they were suspending the publication of special issues due to “compromised articles” (Kincaid, 2023).
Web of Science dropped 50 journals from its index in March for failure to meet 24 of the quality criteria required to be included in Web of Science. Common quality violations included: adequate peer review, appropriate citations, and content that was irrelevant to the scope of the journal. The 19 Hindawi journals removed from Web of Science accounted for 38% of the total 50 journals removed from the index! Health sciences titles published by Hindawi that were removed from Web of Science include:
Biomed Research International
Disease Markers
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Journal of Environmental and Public Health
Journal of Healthcare Engineering
Journal of Oncology
Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity
The potential impact of this decision could be significant for authors. When a journal is no longer included in Web of Science, Clarivate no longer indexes the papers published in the journal, no longer counts citations from papers published in the journal, and no longer calculates an impact factor for the journal (Kincaid, 2023). Authors who publish in these journals will be negatively impacted as many universities factor in these types of metrics into promotion and tenure decisions (Kincaid, 2023).
This is just one of the more recent examples of the struggles Hindawi and Wiley have grappled with since Wiley purchased Hindawi in 2021. Last year, Wiley announced the retraction of more than 500 Hindawi papers that had been linked to peer review rings. Hindawi has also been involved in paper mill activity, publishing articles coming out of paper mills in at least nine of the journals that were delisted. Paper mills are “unethical outsourcing agencies proficient in fabricating fraudulent manuscripts submitted to scholarly journals” (Pérez-Neri et al., 2022).
In the early days of paper mills, plagiarism was the biggest concern. However, paper mills have become more sophisticated and are now capable of fabricating data, and images, and producing fake study results (Pérez-Neri et al., 2022). Pérez-Neri et al. reviewed 325 retracted articles with suspected paper mill involvement from 31 journals and found that these retracted articles produced 3,708 citations (Pérez-Neri et al., 2022). The study also found a marked increase in retracted paper mill articles with the number of paper mill articles increasing from nine articles in 2016, to 44 articles in 2017, 88 articles in 2018, and 109 articles in 2019 (Pérez-Neri et al., 2022). Nearly half of the analyzed retracted papers (45%) were from the health sciences fields (Pérez-Neri et al., 2022). In a pre-print analysis of Hindawi’s paper mill activity, Dorothy Bishop found that paper mills target journals “precisely because they are included in WoS [Web of Science], which gives them kudos and means that any citations count towards indicators such as H-index, which is used by many institutions in hiring and promotion” (Bishop, 2023).
Another model that has become popular among questionable journals is the “guest editor” model, in which a journal invites a scholar or group of scholars to serve as guest editors for a specific issue of papers on the same topic or theme. MDPI is another publisher once identified by Jeffrey Beall as potentially predatory and has made efforts to turn around its reputation and become known as a reputable scholarly publisher. MDPI has used the guest editor model to help grow its business. In a recent post in The Scholarly Kitchen, Christos Petrou wrote that “the Guest Editor model fueled MDPI’s rise, yet it pushed Hindawi off a cliff” (Petrou, 2023). According to Petrou, the guest editor model accounts for at least 60% of MDPI’s papers. Hindawi has also embraced this model in recent years increasing the number of papers published under the guest editor model from 17% of papers in 2019 to 53% of papers published in 2022 (Petrou, 2023). Hindawi’s use of the guest editor model contributed to its exploitation by paper mills, which lead to more than 500 retractions between November 2022 and March 2023 (Petrou, 2023).
MDPI was not left unscathed by Clarivate’s decision to delist 50 journals from Web of Science. MDPI’s largest journal, the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH), which had an Impact Factor above 4.0, was among the titles delisted in March. IJERPH was delisted for publishing content that was not relevant to the journal’s scope. Petrou argued that while this is likely a problem for hundreds of other journals, Web of Science “sent a message by going after the largest journal of MDPI” (Petrou, 2023).
The guest editor model is no longer used exclusively by questionable publishers and has slowly been embraced by traditional scholarly publishers. Petrou encourages publishers interested in the guest editor model to implement transparent safeguards into this model to uphold editorial integrity. While the scholarly publishing landscape continues to evolve and formerly questionable publishers attempt to gain legitimacy and stabilize their reputations, we must remain vigilant in evaluating the journals in which we choose to publish. Likewise, scholarly publishers must address the research integrity of the articles they publish by ensuring safeguards are in place to prevent the proliferation of paper mill-produced papers from making it through the peer review and screening process and ending up as published papers in trusted journals, only to be retracted once they have been exposed as fraudulent.
References:
Bishop, D. V. M. (2023, February 6). Red flags for paper mills need to go beyond the level of individual articles: a case study of Hindawi special issues. PsyArXiv Preprints. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/6mbgv
Pérez-Neri, I., Pineda, C., & Sandoval, H. (2022). Threats to scholarly research integrity arising from paper mills: A rapid scoping review. Clinical Rheumatology, 41(7), 2241-2248. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-022-06198-9
