An Evaluation of Index Medicus in Rheumatology: Coverage, Currency and Efficiency

This study shows that Index Medicus provides good coverage of the rheumatology periodical literature, and that there is a median time delay of 4.5 months between the appearance of the original article, and the appearance of the index entry. An analysis of the recall and precision ratios applicable to Index Medicus in this field proved rather difficult because of the experimental conditions. However, the results obtained were considered reasonable.

Die vorliegende Untersuchung zeigt, daß der Index Medicus die periodische Rheumaliteratur ziemlich komplett erfaßt mit einer durchschnittlichen Verzögerungszeit von 4,5 Monaten zwischen dem Erscheinen des Originalartikels und seiner Anzeige im Index Medicus. Eine Analyse der Recallund Relevanzraten des Index Medicus erwies sich unter den gewählten Versuchsbedingungen als schwierig; jedoch erscheinen die erhaltenen Resultate angemessen.

Key-Words

Rheumatology Literature - Index Medicus

Schlüssel-Wörter

Rheumaliteratur - Index Medicus

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