Educating Authors and Users of the Literature to Increase Vigilance of Predatory Publishing

Abstract

ABSTRACT Educating authors and clinicians about predatory publishing and its consequences is vital to protect scholarship and evidence-based practice and is particularly important for those early in their health care careers. Librarians at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN have incorporated this important topic into ongoing literature searching training for internal medicine residents. This article summarizes the level of existing awareness of predatory publishing and the effectiveness of discussing it in small group educational sessions. It is crucial for all health care professionals to be informed about the serious threat to the integrity of scientific literature and the potential adverse impact on patient care.