Methodological adequacy of articles published in two open-access Brazilian cardiology periodicals.

Cristiane Rufino Macedo,Maria Eduarda Puga,Davi Leite Da Silva

doi:10.1590/s1516-31802010000200008

Cristiane Rufino Macedo, Maria Eduarda Puga + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/s1516-31802010000200008

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Abstract

The use of rigorous scientific methods has contributed towards developing scientific articles of excellent methodological quality. This has made it possible to promote their citation and increase the impact factor. Brazilian periodicals have had to adapt to certain quality standards demanded by these indexing organizations, such as the content and the number of original articles published in each issue. This study aimed to evaluate the methodological adequacy of two Brazilian periodicals within the field of cardiology that are indexed in several databases and freely accessible through the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), and which are now indexed by the Web of Science (Institute for Scientific Information, ISI). Descriptive study at Brazilian Cochrane Center. All the published articles were evaluated according to merit assessment (content) and form assessment (performance). Ninety-six percent of the articles analyzed presented study designs that were adequate for answering the objectives. These two Brazilian periodicals within the field of cardiology published methodologically adequate articles, since they followed the quality standards. Thus, these periodicals can be considered both for consultation and as vehicles for publishing future articles. For further analyses, it is essential to apply other indicators of scientific activity such as bibliometrics, which evaluates quantitative aspects of the production, dissemination and use of information, and scientometrics, which is also concerned with the development of science policies, within which it is often superimposed on bibliometrics.

Highlights

IntroductionMankind is living in the age of information and knowledge, in which people who can master the flow of information that is available are the ones who can keep up to date in some manner and have access to best practices
Mankind is living in the age of information and knowledge, in which people who can master the flow of information that is available are the ones who can keep up to date in some manner and have access to best practices.It has been seen that the quantity of the information available in the principal communication media, among which the Internet can be highlighted, leaves people with a sense of anxiety
Brazilian periodicals have had to adapt to certain quality standards demanded by these indexing organizations, such as the content and the number of original articles published in each issue of the periodical

Summary

Introduction

Mankind is living in the age of information and knowledge, in which people who can master the flow of information that is available are the ones who can keep up to date in some manner and have access to best practices. It has been seen that the quantity of the information available in the principal communication media, among which the Internet can be highlighted, leaves people with a sense of anxiety. Day by day, this avalanche of information has been making them insecure because of the feeling that they are missing something, i.e. some important information that should be coming out at this time. In the field of healthcare, there are greater quantities of published information and a better structure for organizing it and making it available, compared with other fields of knowledge. Some of the most important virtual databases (some with free access) containing scientific articles within the field of healthcare are the following:[1] a) Medline (www.pubmed.gov) –– 5,400 indexed periodicals in 37 languages, containing 16 million references to papers, with free access. b) The Cochrane Library

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