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Category: Databases

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What are preprints?  

  • Preprints are research manuscripts posted prior to peer review. Depending on the preprint server, manuscripts may be screened for privacy concerns or potential harm. For instance, “All manuscripts uploaded to medRxiv undergo a basic screening process for offensive and/or non-scientific content and for material that might pose a health risk”.
  • Preprints are not peer reviewed, and they are not final research products. The NIH offers guidance about “Preprints and Other Interim Research Products”, such as datasets and code. 
  • Preprints can enable timely discussion of research, especially in rapidly evolving fields. The publication of research via journal articles is often delayed by the formal peer review process. 

Where can I find preprints?

How do I evaluate preprints?

  • Because preprints have not undergone peer review, they require more critical analysis for potential issues that might be caught during peer review.  
  • Members of the scientific community engage with preprints in a variety of ways. Some platforms, such as F1000Research, post reviewer comments alongside the article. However, preprint reviews and critiques are rarely so easily located. Often, further searching will be necessary to find cross linking to social media discussions about a preprint. 
  • Researchers can find reviews and critiques of COVID-19 related preprints on review sites and overlay journals, including NCRC from Johns Hopkins, and Rapid Reviews: COVID-19 from MIT. Generally, while review sites link to preprints, preprint servers do not link to reviews.
  • Outbreak Science Rapid PREreview offers a browser plug-in that alerts readers to reviews of preprints: for instance, this September preprint has a review. 
  • SciScore uses AI to detect indicators of rigor and reproducibility in a manuscript. Follow @SciScoreReports for updates on COVID-19 related preprints evaluated with this tool. 

I found a preprint and reviewed the discussion around it. Now, how do I cite it?

  • Since the rapid dissemination of COVID-19 research via preprints, the need for clarity in citing preprints in reference lists has grown more urgent. Where possible, citations should include the version and preprint status; this is specified in Vancouver Style. Some preprint servers provide no version control, though others, for instance those using OSF Preprints or Jupyter Notebooks, do include version control. 
  • The DOI should also be included, as well as the server name, to assist readers in identifying and locating the preprint cited. Note, medRxiv provides versioning and DOIs. If you cannot find the preprint‘s DOI, search the preprint title in crossref.org or preprint servers.
  • For more information on citing preprints and potential problems, see this Scholarly Kitchen blog post.

What should I be aware of when reading and citing preprints?

  • Across the research landscape, there is an increasing focus on transparency and reproducibility, encouraging authors to share interim research products, including preprints, datasets, and computer code. (Note: Data sharing is mandated for federal grant recipients.) Locating and analyzing research data and code may be especially important when appraising preprints, which have not undergone peer review. Preprint servers have varying abilities and infrastructure to link to research data. Read the full text of the manuscript to find mention of, or, better yet, links to, datasets and code on repositories, such as figshare, dryad, GitHub, and Zenodo. You can look for subject data repositories on the website re3data.org. Often, datasets link to preprints, but preprints do not reliably link out to the data. 
  • Before citing a preprint, check if the research has been published in a peer-reviewed article since the preprint’s posting. While some servers link to published articles, there may be a time lag or other technical reasons that prevent automatic linking. Authors are encouraged to ensure links are posted from preprints to articles, but this is not 100% reliable. Try searching the preprint title (though titles may change between posting and publishing) in PubMed, Google Scholar, or CrossRef to check for a published, peer-reviewed article.
  • And remember, any changes to the standard of care need to be based on authoritative evidence. Do not change guidelines based on evidence found only in a preprint. https://blogs.gwu.edu/himmelfarb/2020/06/17/revisiting-medrxiv-in-the-age-of-covid-19/ 


For more information about preprints in general and to learn how and where to upload a preprint of your own: see the Himmelfarb preprint guide.

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Crumpled paper and a paper airplane on a dark blue background
Photo by Matt Ridley on Unsplash

As Himmelfarb Library begins the transition into Our New Normal, you may have questions about where to access certain services and resources we provide. Here’s a guide on what you’ll find available online and in-person.

Online

All of our e-journals, e-databases, and e-books remain available online. We also provide our Documents2Go service entirely online, where you can request articles unavailable in our collection.

We offer instructions on downloading and installing our mobile apps to your device.

There is a host of information available on our Research Guides, everything from question banks to anatomy images, and much more!

Himmelfarb’s Reference team is also available online. Our chat service is monitored by reference staff 8:30AM-8PM EST Monday through Thursday and 8:30AM-5PM EST Friday. Have a question a little too involved for chat? We can also schedule individual meetings with a reference librarian via WebEx. Email us at himmelfarb@gwu.edu to start the process!

In-Person

In addition to our print collection available in our book stacks, you can also find our multimedia collection, audiovisual collection, and software resources on the third floor, in the Bloedorn Technology Center.

Our special collections, the Humanities & Health collection, Historical collection, and Healthy Living collection, are all accessible in-person.

Some of our older journals are kept in on-site storage as bound volumes. You can request a specific volume for perusal by following the instructions on our Borrowing and Requesting page.

Anatomy models are available in various places throughout the library. Our skeletal models and bone boxes are up on the third floor. Heart and brain models can be checked out at the Circulation desk.

If you have any questions about access as we move forward with Our New Normal, reach out to us at himmelfarb@gwu.edu or call the Circulation Desk at 202-994-2962.

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Photo of the medRxiv logo.

Earlier this year we published a post on the new preprint server, medRxiv (pronounced ‘Med Archive’). We touched on the benefits of archiving research via this service, as well as pointing out the potential downsides. But with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing many to work from home and observe social distancing guidelines, preprint services like medRxiv help researchers share their preliminary findings as they seek to better understand this new disease and discover potential treatment options.

With new information on COVID-19 released on a near daily basis, medRxiv is an excellent place to archive research and disseminate it within the medical community.The archival server has a specialized collection dedicated to research pertaining to the study of COVID-19. At the time of the publication of this post, the preprint server holds approximately 4204 articles. With Altmetrics, researchers are able to track the level of engagement their article receives. 

Articles located on the preprint server have not undergone the rigorous peer review process.It is imperative that the research located on medrRxiv is not used in a clinical setting nor shared with the media or public. As we learn more about this disease, how best to fight it and how to prevent its spread, members of the medical community must observe best practices and avoid sharing potentially harmful misinformation to the public or media. 

The research and news on COVID-19 is constantly evolving. There is still much to learn about this novel coronavirus and medical professionals are working tirelessly to add to the expanding literature on this disease. MedRxiv, the preprint server, has a collection dedicated exclusively to preliminary research on COVID-19. As such, it is an excellent and free resource that puts researchers in contact with each other. 

If you would like to learn more about medRxiv or if you’re interested in submitting research to the server, be sure to visit https://www.medrxiv.org/.

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Welcome
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

Himmelfarb Library would like to welcome all of our new users! Whether you are a new resident, fellow, physician assistant or public health student, we welcome you to the GW community! Himmelfarb is ready to serve you and help make your experience here a positive one. You may be curious about what Himmelfarb has to offer and how you can make the most of our resources and services. Here are the top five things we’d like you to know about Himmelfarb:

1) Getting Research Help is Easy!

Our reference librarians are available to answer your questions and provide research support when and where you need help. Get your research and library-related questions answered right from your computer by using the Ask a Librarian service! Reference librarians are available to answer your texts and instant message questions Monday-Thursday from 8:30am-8:00pm, and Friday from 8:30am-5:00pm. 

2) Himmelfarb Resources are Available Anytime, Anywhere.

Himmelfarb’s 100 databases, 4,100 journals, and 4,500 e-books are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our e-book collection includes most major textbooks from most fields. Install the LibKey Nomad Google Chrome browser extension for seamless and speedy access to full-text articles available through Himmelfarb. After installing the extension, choose ‘George Washington University - Himmelfarb Library’ as your institution, and you’ll be all set. For more information about accessing Himmelfarb’s online resources including tips for navigating articles, check out our E-Resources FAQs page.

To access our electronic resources from off-campus, we recommend connecting to the GW VPN. The Himmelfarb off-campus access page provides additional information about installing the VPN and accessing electronic resources with your GW NetID. Many of our resources are also available as mobile apps for download on your mobile devices. 

3) 3D Printing is Available!

Himmelfarb has a 3D printer available for use by faculty, staff and students in SMHS, SON, GWSPH, the GW Hospital and the MFA. 3D printing will be available once the library opens its doors again. For more information about 3D printing at Himmelfarb, check out our 3D Printing Guide.

4) If We Don’t Have It, We’ll Do Our Best To Get It For You.

While we attempt to make our collection as robust as possible, we don’t have access to everything. In the event that we don’t have access to a resource that you need, you can place a request through our Interlibrary Loan/Documents2Go service. Through this service, we are able to work with a nationwide network of libraries to obtain a copy of a needed resource on your behalf. Articles are normally delivered within 24-72 hours. Interested in learning more about this service? Check our in-depth Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery guide.

5) The Health Sciences Research Commons Can Expand the Reach of Your Research!

Health Sciences Research Commons (HSRC) is Himmelfarb’s institutional repository, and is a perfect place for you to share your research output during your time at GW. All faculty, researchers, students (with the sponsorship of a faculty member), and staff affiliated with SMHS, SON, GWSPH at GW are eligible to submit their scholarly works to HSRC. By placing your work in HSRC, your work will be easily shareable and discoverable via Google Scholar and other search engines. If you have questions about the HSRC, take a look at the FAQ page or contact Sara Hoover (shoover@gwu.edu), Metadata and Scholarly Publishing Librarian, for more information.

This top five list is just a glimpse into all that Himmelfarb has to offer! In addition to the resources mentioned above, we have numerous research guides on a wide variety of topics. Tutorials are also available on a variety of topics. Himmelfarb welcomes you to the GW community! 

 

 

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LibKey NomadLibKey Nomad now works with Scopus and Web of Science to get you to full-text faster!

LibKey Nomad is a Chrome browser extension that can connect you to articles in Himmelfarb Library’s collection.  LibKey Nomad previously worked with multiple sources including PubMed, publisher sites, and even Wikipedia - and Scopus and Web of Science have been added to this list.  LibKey Nomad immediately delivers a PDF if available, and will otherwise provide you Himmelfarb full-text and document delivery options.

LibKey Nomad provides a 'Download PDF' link as the first option, and if that's not possible will provide other full-text links and Documents2Go document delivery options via Himmelfarb Library.  LibKey Nomad can also connect you to a table of contents for the specific issue to allow you to explore that issue for related items.

LibKey Nomad-integrated links in Scopus

To use LibKey Nomad, download LibKey Nomad from the Chrome Web Store page.  After you install the extension, choose ‘George Washington University – Himmelfarb Library’ as your institution, and you’re good to go!

Please contact Laura Abate (leabate@gwu.edu) with questions or comments.

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Access Medicine & Case Files Collection LogoTeaching online can pose its share of challenges. Finding clinical cases to include in your online instruction doesn’t have to be one of them. Using clinical case studies, especially during a time when students are not able to have first hand clinical experiences, can help your students hone their clinical decision making, critical thinking, and clinical reasoning skills. Himmelfarb Library provides access to cases with supporting text and multimedia materials. All materials are licensed for use in instruction. 

AccessMedicine Cases provides access to more than 900 basic sciences and plus selected clinical cases drawn from the Case Files series. AccessMedicine’s clinical case collections include: 

  • Family Medicine Board Review 
  • Internal Medicine drawn from Resident Readiness Internal Medicine
  • Vanderbilt Internal IM/Peds
  • Case Files (note: selected cases available in AccessMedicine and complete collection available via Case Files Collection)

Himmelfarb also provides access to the complete Case Files Collection which includes more than 1,150 cases, explanations, and quizzes. In addition to basic science cases, the Case Files Collection provides full access to clinical rotation cases for anesthesiology, cardiology, emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, medical ethics & professionalism, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, and surgery. Case Files Collection also provides additional cases at the post-graduate level on cardiology, geriatrics, gynecologic surgery, and orthopaedic surgery.  The Case Files Collection ebooks are also available through Himmelfarb’s catalog.

Case File book covers

To integrate cases into your online instruction, start with a relevant patient case. Students can use cases to practice taking a patient history using Smith’s Patient-Centered Interviewing. Students can expand their physical exam skills in an online instruction setting through physical exam videos. Students can then do additional research by looking up current recommendations and reading article summaries on relevant topics. Students can then decide on appropriate next steps for the patient case including diagnostic tests to be ordered, and creating a treatment plan by looking through mini-textbooks, and the provided drug monograph library. Quizzes are available at the end of cases and can be emailed to instructors when completed.

Do you want to explore topics beyond specific medical conditions? Cases in Medical Ethics and Professionalism include opportunities to explore communication, conflict resolution, ethics, and professionalism skills in addition to the medical case at hand. 

Himmelfarb provides full-access to both AccessMedicine and Case Files collection although some features are accessible only after users create a free personal MyAccess Profile. To create a MyAccess Profile, click on Sign In in the upper right corner of AccessMedicine or Case Files Collection.

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screenshot of new PubMed home page

The new PubMed is here! Himmelfarb previously announced a transition from PubMed’s old interface to their newer, more modern interface. As of May 18th, the NLM will fully transition to the new PubMed interface with a host of new features, available on mobile and desktop devices alike.

The new PubMed interface includes quality of life updates, like abstract excerpts available in the results list and updates to the interface to make the site more navigable, and as well as significant behind-the-scenes updates, including the algorithm that produces the new Best Match sort order. Additionally, your My NCBI saved searches and collections will continue to work with the new PubMed, so no starting over from scratch!

When accessing the new PubMed, be sure to go through the link on Himmelfarb’s home page, in the “Popular Resources” box, to ensure Himmelfarb’s full-text links and other customizations load. The new PubMed also offers full integration with our LibKey Nomad browser plugin (available on Google Chrome), which enhances  full-text linking by directly loading a PDF if one is available!

The NLM has a number of resources to help you familiarize yourself with the new PubMed interface. Their New PubMed Transition FAQ broadly covers the changes and updates made. The New PubMed Trainer’s Toolkit consists of short videos (1-4 minutes each), slides, handouts, and webinars that can be embedded in Blackboard courses. For those of you looking for a deeper dive into the new PubMed, the webinar series How PubMed Works does a deep dive into what PubMed is and how it functions. The PubMed User Guide is also readily available, with an in-depth coverage of frequently asked questions and instructions on how to use the various features the new PubMed offers.

Of course, we here at Himmelfarb are also available as a resource. We’ve been familiarizing ourselves with the new interface, and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the new PubMed. Email us at himmelfarb@gwu.edu, or chat with us via our Ask A Librarian instant messaging service.

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CovidenceOn Wednesday  April 22 at noon EST,  the next course in Himmelfarb Library's 2020 Scholarly Communications series will be released!  Covidence Training with Tom Harrod will be useful if you’re currently working on a systematic review or plan to begin a systematic review in the future.

Covidence, a service recently added to Himmelfarb's collection, greatly streamlines the process of creating a systematic review. In this webinar, Tom Harrod will review the common steps performed when creating a systematic review and explore how Covidence can help you during all of these stages.  He will also show you how to get a Covidence account through the Himmelfarb Library’s subscription.

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Published on 1 Comment on Try new resources @ Himmelfarb
Database and book trialsHimmelfarb Library has temporary access to a number of resources and welcomes your feedback on these resources.  The set of resources is diverse and includes a video anatomy atlas, an infectious disease database, and multiple discipline-specific databases including AccessEmergencyMedicine,  LWW Health Library: Advanced Practice Nursing, and   LWW Health Library: PA Rotations/Specialties - plus many more!
 
You can see the full-list of trial resources including access details and trial dates on the Trials: Temporary Access to Selected Resources Research Guide.
 

Please explore these trial resources and provide your feedback.  Email feedback and questions to Laura Abate (leabate@gwu.edu).

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image of StatPearls logoIf you are looking to expand your knowledge base in any area of the health sciences, StatPearls is the ideal tool for you. It features a growing database of articles written for health care professionals. Search from over 6,000 free and peer-reviewed articles, all of which are indexed in PubMed. Content is updated daily using a peer review process. An example of content that is kept current is their review article on COVID-19:  Features, Evaluation and Treatment Coronavirus COVID-19.

Additionally, the StatPearls website offers access to a bank of over 53,000 test questions in 432 specialty databases. The basic learning management system is offered free of charge, with an upgraded subscription option available. The test bank available via subscription uses adaptive learning to tailor your learning experience by identifying areas of strength and weakness as you answer questions. All activities and adaptive learning content are reviewed at least once a year. In addition, users can post comments on all content. Managing editors review customer feedback on content daily and, if they choose, submit the proposed revisions for review.

For more information, please use the Ask a Librarian reference service on the Himmelfarb Library website.

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