New mode of publication indexed by PubMed
Anna Kushnir
Monday, 08 September 2008 14:16 UTC
JoVE, the Journal of Visualized Experiments, publishes video protocols filmed by a professional crew. The videos aim to ease the reproduction of difficult protocols and experiments. Though JoVE is not unique in the YouTube for scientists department, it is the first to be indexed by PubMed, as described in a Nature News in Brief.
The listing of an alternative model of publication in a repository of the most traditional publications is a big step for the National Library of Medicine, which runs PubMed, in acknowledging the shift in the landscape of scientific publishing. Do you think this trend will extend to the newest forms of scientific online resources, such as wikis and databases? If so, how long will it take?
If I am lucky, I will get someone from JoVE to comment on the process of getting a non-traditional publication indexed in PubMed. Stay tuned, but comment in the meantime!
Updated 08 September 2008 14:36 UTC
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Replies
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First, I am very greatful to all the science bloggers, including many on Nature Networks, who supported us. Thank you all!!! Inclusion of JoVE in PubMed and MEDLINE is a big achievement not only for JoVE. For the first time, new approaches to science communication receive an official recognition of the scientific community. Overall, it will increase the interest of the scientists toward all these new approaches, not only video.
The decision on inclusion of JoVE was made by the Literature Selection Technical Review Committee, an advisory committee at NLM/NIH. This committee includes researchers, physicians, editors, librarians and historians. This committee evaluates the scientific quality and scope of new journals and typically approves only 20-25% of the applications.
Moshe Pritsker
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Thanks for the reply and the link, Moshe. I found one phrase in particular quite interesting in the committee guidelines: “NLM still seeks a practical system to guide our selection of journals that will reflect these different needs and desires. In the meantime, the selection is highly dependent on the judgment of Committee members and the Director.”
Basically, it seems as though selection of journals for indexing in PubMed is somewhat arbitrary. There is no mention in the guidelines of alternative methods of publication, such as video. All the guidelines still address only traditional print journals. Here’s hoping that those are revised, some time soon.
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Having been involved in the many conversations originating here on NN and elsewhere regarding the future of scientific communication, I think that I can safely say that it is quite satisfying to see this sort of progress.
Congratulations Moshe. This is truly a step in the right direction.
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Thank you, Noah.
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