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AN EVALUATION OF ‘INPHARMA’, A DRUG LITERATURE ABSTRACTING SERVICE
Author(s) -
Milne Angela
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.622
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1365-2710
pISSN - 0269-4727
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2710.1981.tb00991.x
Subject(s) - reliability (semiconductor) , service (business) , medicine , computer science , library science , business , power (physics) , physics , marketing , quantum mechanics
SUMMARY This study aimed to provide data on the characteristies of the drug literature abstracting service ‘Inpharma’. Journal coverage, article yield and timeliness for a 3‐year period were examined; the reliability and information content of 100 abstracts were also assessed. It was found that although ‘Inpharma’ is claimed to monitor a very large number of journals, over 98% of the abstracts were from ‘core’ journals of which there are approximately 350. Over 80% of the abstracts appeared within 4 months of publication of the original and abstracts from some of the American journals were available in the United Kingdom before the relevant primary journal. Sixteen errors were detected in 100 abstracts; five of these were typographical errors and nine deviations in accuracy. The publication is a good ‘current awareness tool’ but it should not be used where a comprehensive coverage of the literature is required. It is also important that the primary journal is consulted when detailed information is required.