Publication rate of abstracts of papers and posters presented at Medical Library Association annual meetings |
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| Authors: | Sally A Harvey Janene R Wandersee |
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| Institution: | Director of Learning Resources ;Librarian; Health Sciences Library, Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, 1111 East McDowell Road, Phoenix, AZ 85006 |
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| Abstract: | Objectives:This study sought to ascertain the publication rate of abstracts presented at the annual meetings of the Medical Library Association (MLA) for the years of 2002 and 2003. The secondary objectives were to examine possible reasons for non-publication and factors influencing publication.Methods:A total of 442 abstracts from both meeting years, consisting of presented papers and posters, were examined. The 2 methods used to obtain a publication rate were literature searches and an online questionnaire sent to first authors. The questionnaire also asked abstract authors about reasons for non-publication and other factors that might have influenced their decisions about whether or not to submit the project for publication.Results:The overall publication rate from the survey was 26.5%, and the publication rate found via literature searching was 27.6%. The most common reason given for non-publication was time restrictions. Also notable was the large proportion of abstracts written by librarians working at universities and those having 25 or more years in the library profession.Discussion:Publication rates for abstracts presented at the Medical Library Association meetings for the years studied rank at the low end in comparison with other medical professional associations. Further research into factors affecting publication may reveal ways to increase this rate.Highlights- Publication rates from posters and presentations at the Medical Library Association''s 2002 and 2003 annual meetings were estimated at less than 28.0% using data from an author survey and literature search. In contrast, a Cochrane systematic review of 79 similar biomedical research studies found a mean publication rate of 44.5%.
- Respondents listed time restrictions as their primary reason for not submitting their presentations for publication.
Implications- Compared to biomedical conferences, relatively little of the information presented at Medical Library Association annual meetings is available as peer-reviewed evidence in the published literature.
- Each profession has different norms for the nature and style of information in presentations at meetings. The further presenters get from basic research, the more difficult it may be for them to conceptualize a presentation as a formal paper. Diverse publication rates between professions are likely to remain.
- Additional study could be aimed at further clarifying the reasons for non-publication and possible means to ameliorate them.
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