Library News

Copyright law gives content creators the right to determine how their work can (and cannot) be used by other people. Content creators can communicate this by assigning terms of use.

When you visit a website, the copyright terms of use are often hidden in the fine print. Check the footer, header or side bar for language such as:

• Terms of Use
• Terms of Service
• Terms and Conditions
• Legal

Terms of use outline:

• How you can use the site’s content
• What permissions you need
• Any restrictions that apply

It's crucial to read these terms carefully to avoid any legal issues and respect the rights of content creators. Even if you don’t see terms of use, you should always assume that the content is protected by copyright.

Watch our newest Copyright Minute video to learn more about copyright terms of use and how to navigate them effectively!

Questions? Contact us at Copyright@nshealth.ca.

Lana MacEachern

Library Technician
Pictou/Colchester-East Hants/Cumberland Region

Roxanne MacMillan

Librarian Educator
Halifax Infirmary, Central Zone

The Patient Education Pamphlets team has a small collection of anatomical diagrams and icons available to include in patient education pamphlets. If you need a diagram of a particular body part or system, the team may be able to help you find something suitable. If you would like to add a specific visual element to your pamphlet:

2. It must be representative and respectful of Canada’s diverse populations.
3. It must follow applicable Canadian copyright law. Find more information about this by visiting the Using Images and Permissions pages of the Copyright subject guide.

Did you know? Nova Scotia Health team members must pay to use stock images from websites like Getty Images, iStock, and Shutterstock. Be cautious when assuming something is “free” to use. An image may be labeled “royalty free”, but still require payment for use. For more information, visit the Copyright subject guide.

4. All images submitted for inclusion in a patient education pamphlet must be high resolution. This means they should be greater than 300 pixels per inch or a .jpg file with a file size of around 1 to 1.5 MB.
   TIP To avoid your image being compressed when sending, do not add it to a Word document; send it as an email attachment or use MOVEIt (https://sfts1.gov.ns.ca/) to share the file(s) with a Patient Education Pamphlets team member (Important: the email account Pamphlets@nshealth.ca cannot receive MOVEit files).

Many Canadians struggle to read and understand health information. Adding visual elements to patient education pamphlets is one way to help improve communication between health care providers and patients, and help the material be more inclusive of those with low health literacy.

The Patient Education Pamphlets Team is happy to help make sure your patient education materials are easy to read and understand, including helping you choose the right icons, diagrams, or photographs. Reach out to us at Pamphlets@nshealth.ca or visit the Content Creator Toolkit to get started.

References

1. Park, J., & Zuniga, J. (2016). Effectiveness of using picture-based health education for people with low health literacy: An integrative review. Cogent Medicine, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331205X.2016.1264679

2. Schubbe, D., Scalia, P., Yen, R. W., Saunders, C. H., Cohen, S., Elwyn, G., van den Muijsenbergh, M., & Durand, M.-A. (2020). Using pictures to convey health information: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects on patient and consumer health behaviors and outcomes. Patient Education and Counseling, 103(10), 1935–1960. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2020.04.010

3. Tiwari, R. R., Pandey, B., & Chaudhari, K. S. (2023). Image-Based Communication for Strengthening Patient Health Education in Rural and Underserved Settings. Cureus, 15(7), e41279. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.41279

Kallen Rutledge

Librarian Educator, Patient Education Pamphlets Lead
Nova Scotia Hospital, Central Zone

Citing Indigenous knowledge

Q: "I interviewed several Mi’kmaq elders for a report on Indigenous medical traditions. The interviews were not recorded. How should I cite this correspondence in APA style?"

A: You can do this in one of two ways:

1. APA 7th ed. – Personal Communications

If the interviews are not available to readers in some recorded format (e.g., video, audio, written transcript), the American Psychological Association (2020, p. 260) recommends that traditional knowledge of Indigenous peoples be treated as a form of personal communication. No reference list entry is required, but you should provide an in-text citation with the following components:

• the person’s full name
• the nation or specific Indigenous group to which they belong
• their location
• other details about them that you think are relevant
• the words “personal communication”
• the exact date of correspondence

Example of in-text citation:
(George Bernard, Membertou First Nation, Mi’kma’ki, lives in Membertou, Unama'ki, personal communication, October 4, 2023)

2. Citation templates specifically designed for Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers

Indigenous scholar, Lorisia MacLeod (2021), in partnership with staff of the NorQuest Indigenous Student Centre, created citation templates for both APA and MLA style to better respect and acknowledge Indigenous oral traditions. She reasons that “to use the [APA or MLA] template for personal communication is to place an Indigenous oral teaching on the same footing as a quick phone call, giving it only a short in-text citation (as is the standard with personal communication citations) while even tweets are given a reference citation” (MacLeod, 2022, p. 2). Numerous institutions across Canada and the United States have adopted these templates.

MacLeod suggests including an entry in the reference list, in addition to the in-text citation recommended by APA (see above), using this format:

Last name, First initial. Nation/Community. Treaty Territory if applicable. Where they live if applicable. Topic/subject of communication if applicable. personal communication. Month Date, Year.

Example of reference list entry:
Bernard, G. Membertou First Nation. Mi’kma’ki. Lives in Membertou, Unama’ki. Mi’kmaq medicines. personal communication. October 4, 2023.

Note: It is always important to ask how an individual wishes to identify themselves and their community.

We'll share more copyright Q&A in future blog posts. In the meantime, reach out to Copyright@nshealth.ca with your copyright question or book a one-on-one consultation.

To learn more, visit our Copyright subject guide, register for Copyright 101 on the LMS or request a custom copyright education session for your team. We’re here to help!

References

1. American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

2. MacLeod, L. (2021). More than personal communication: Templates for citing Indigenous elders and knowledge keepers. KULA: Knowledge Creation, Dissemination, and Preservation Studies 5(1). https://doi.org/10.18357/kula.135. CC BY 4.0.

Lana MacEachern

Library Technician
Pictou/Colchester-East Hants/Cumberland Region

Roxanne MacMillan

Librarian Educator
Halifax Infirmary, Central Zone

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools have been a hot topic of both news and conversation since OpenAI launched ChatGPT in March 2023. In addition to the possibilities these tools present, there has been much discussion about their limitations and risks. Let’s take a look at some things you should be aware of from a copyright and citation perspective.

Copyright

The big question is who owns the copyright for AI-generated materials?

As yet, there are no clear answers.

OpenAI, for example, claims to own the copyright for content produced by ChatGPT and its image generator, Dall-E. OpenAI assigns its users the right to use the content for any purpose, including commercial use (OpenAI, 2023a), but do they really have the authority to do so?

ChatGPT and other generative AI tools are ‘trained’ on huge amounts of data “scraped from the internet” (CBA National, 2022). Although this content is freely accessible, much of it is likely copyright protected, and that’s where things get murky. According to the Canadian Bar Association, clarity will likely have to be provided by court decisions—in Canada and worldwide—to address questions such as:

• Do AI tools use enough of an original work to infringe on copyright?
• Does the use fall under Fair Dealing?
• Is AI output a purely “mechanical exercise” (CCH Canadian Ltd. v. Law Society of Upper Canada, 2004) and not copyright protected at all?

(CBA National, 2022)

There are already several high profile court cases involving generative AI. For example, Getty Images is suing Stability AI for allegedly using its content without permission to ‘train’ the image generator, Stable Diffusion (Brittain, 2023).

Citations

OpenAI (2023b) acknowledges that ChatGPT “sometimes writes plausible-sounding but incorrect or nonsensical answers.” This is sometimes referred to as hallucination and fake citations are one example.

University of Waterloo Library and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Library, among others, have tested the reliability of citations produced by ChatGPT. I thought I’d try it myself.

I asked ChatGPT to write a paragraph on the use of carbamazepine in benzodiazepine withdrawal and to include a reference list.

This was the response:

Carbamazepine is a medication commonly used in the management of benzodiazepine withdrawal, particularly in cases of long-term benzodiazepine dependence. It belongs to the class of anticonvulsant drugs and acts by stabilizing neuronal membranes and reducing excessive neuronal firing. Carbamazepine helps alleviate withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia, restlessness, and irritability, making it a valuable adjunct in the detoxification process. The drug's mechanism of action involves modulating the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission system, which is disrupted during benzodiazepine withdrawal. While carbamazepine has demonstrated efficacy in managing benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms, it should be used under close medical supervision due to its potential for side effects and interactions with other medications. Further research is needed to optimize dosing and duration of carbamazepine therapy in benzodiazepine withdrawal.

Reference List:

1. Sood A, Armon C. Carbamazepine for benzodiazepine withdrawal. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2005;(3):CD001905. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD001905.pub2
2. Nardi AE, Lopes FL, Valença AM, Freire RC, Veras AB, de-Melo-Neto VL. Withdrawal from long-term benzodiazepine use: randomised trial in family practice. Br J Gen Pract. 2006;56(533):958-963. doi: 10.3399/096016406775101759
3. LoVecchio F, Pizon A, Riley B, et al. Use of phenobarbital and carbamazepine in patients with alcohol withdrawal. Am J Emerg Med. 2007;25(3):299-302. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2006.08.004
4. Koster ES, Maes J, Janssen HE, et al. Use of benzodiazepines and benzodiazepine-related drugs in older adults with intellectual disability: A register-based study. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil. 2020;33(2):312-321. doi: 10.1111/jar.12658

I am not a subject matter expert, so I won’t speak to the accuracy of the paragraph (though I would welcome input from readers). As for the citations, at first glance they looked promising—formatted correctly, reputable journal titles—but looks, as the saying goes, can be deceiving.

Of the four citations, only one is even partially correct. The others are complete fabrication!

A search of PubMed® and Google Scholar indicates that references 1, 3, and 4 do not exist. The DOIs provided by ChatGPT are for different and unrelated articles. Reference 2 IS a real article from the British Journal of General Practice, but the authors and the DOI are incorrect.

What does this mean for you?

If you use generative AI tools for any purpose:

• Always confirm that the content is accurate. Check everything (including citations) against reputable sources, such as those provided by Nova Scotia Health Library Services. Consider using a plagiarism detector or Google’s reverse image search to determine if text or images have been copied from a copyrighted resource.
• Pay attention to developing legislation and policy. The federal government has proposed an Artificial Intelligence and Data Act and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada recently announced an investigation into ChatGPT for possible misuse of personal information.
• Exercise caution. Open AI CEO, Sam Altman, described ChatGPT as “incredibly limited” and warned that it should not be relied on for anything important (O’Brien, 2023). Generative AI tools are rapidly improving, but it will always be up to the user to ensure that the content they produce is accurate and copyright compliant.

If you have questions about copyright:

• visit our Copyright subject guide
• book an appointment with a library staff member, or
• reach out to us at Copyright@nshealth.ca.

Further Reading:

Alkaissi H, McFarlane S I (February 19, 2023) Artificial Hallucinations in ChatGPT: Implications in Scientific Writing. Cureus 15(2): e35179. doi:10.7759/cureus.35179

Flanagin, S., Bibbins-Domingo, K, Berkwits, M. & Christiansen, M.A.. (2023, Jan. 31). Nonhuman “authors” and implications for the integrity of scientific publication and medical knowledge. JAMA 329(8), 637-639. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.1344

References (not AI generated)

1. Brittain, B. (2023, Feb. 6). Getty Images lawsuit says Stability AI misused phots to train AI. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/legal/getty-images-lawsuit-says-stability-ai-misused-photos-train-ai-2023-02-06/

2. CBA National/ABC National. (2022, Dec 7). The legal status of generative AI. The Canadian Bar Association. https://nationalmagazine.ca/en-ca/articles/law/hot-topics-in-law/2022/the-legal-status-of-generative-ai

3. CCH Canadian Ltd. v. Law Society of Upper Canada. [2004] 1 S.C.R. 339, 2004 SCC 13. https://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/2125/index.do

4. O’Brien, M. (2023, Jan. 6). What is ChatGPT and why are schools blocking it? The Globe and Mail. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-explainer-what-is-chatgpt-and-why-are-schools-blocking-it-2/

5. OpenAI. (2023a). Terms of use. https://openai.com/policies/terms-of-use

6. OpenAI. (2023b). IntroducingChatGPT. https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt

Roxanne MacMillan

Librarian Educator
Central Zone

In this edition of our Copyright Corner series, we’ll look at citation. The importance of giving credit where credit is due might seem obvious. Most of us learned the basics of citing sources in high school and understand that it is required in academic writing and publication, but did you know that citation is equally important in our professional roles?

As health care workers, we demonstrate integrity and professionalism by giving credit to the creators of information that we quote, reuse, or adapt in our own publications. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Training materials, such as PowerPoint presentations or LMS courses
• Patient education materials
• Subject guides or other online content
• Curriculum resources
• Promotional materials
• Clinical resources, such as pathways or guidelines

Remember: Citing your sources may not be sufficient!

Citation may protect you against plagiarism, but it doesn’t necessarily protect you against copyright infringement. You may need permission to use or adapt resources. Always investigate the copyright terms of use before assuming that a resource is free to use. If you are uncertain, contact Library Services at copyright@nshealth.ca. We are here to help!

Let’s look at how you can tell your readers where the information came from if you do have permission to reuse a work, or if you are quoting or paraphrasing a short excerpt.

Citation styles

There are many citation styles, including:

• APA (American Psychological Association)
• MLA (Modern Language Association)
• AMA (American Medical Association)
• NLM/Vancouver (also referred to as the Vancouver system or the author-number system (MacOdrum Library, n.d.)).

For published works (scholarly or otherwise), you should always ask your publisher if a particular citation style is required. For example, if you are publishing a subject guide with Library Services, we will ask you to use APA style. A medical journal publisher may require that you format your article in AMA or NLM/Vancouver style.

Whatever citation style you use, the basic principles are the same. If you quote or paraphrase from a source, the borrowed text is indicated by an in-text citation, which corresponds to an entry in your reference list. You can think of in-text citations as breadcrumbs, leading you to the full reference. That reference will usually include the author’s name(s), publication date, title, publication information, and (for journal articles) the DOI (digital object identifier).

Citation managers and generators

Citation management tools, such as Zotero and Mendeley, can help you keep track of your citations and create in-text citations and reference lists. You can learn more about these tools on Library Services’ Citation Management subject guide.

Databases often include citation generators, making it easy for you to create a citation in your style of choice. In PubMed, for example, you can click on the ❛❛    Cite button (1). The citation will appear as a pop-up (2). You can then choose your preferred citation style and copy the citation.

Library Services’ new Discover search also includes generated citations. When viewing a record, under “Export to your favorite citation manager” on the right-hand side, you can choose your preferred citation style (3) and copy the citation (4).

Learn more

The next article in the Copyright Corner series will address:

• copyright attribution and how to acknowledge materials that you have reproduced or adapted with permission.
• attribution requirements and recommendations for Creative Commons licensed resources.
• why it is good practice to provide attribution even when it is not required, such as for resources in the public domain.

In the meantime, you can find more information about citing sources on our Copyright subject guide. For one-on-one assistance, book a consultation with a library team member or email us at copyright@nshealth.ca.

Additional Resources

Purdue OWL: Research and Citation Resources

References

MacOdrum Library. (n.d.). NLM/Vancouver citation style. Carleton University. https://library.carleton.ca/guides/help/vancouver-citation-style.

Roxanne MacMillan

Librarian Educator
Central Zone

“[Creative Commons’] founders recognized the mismatch between what technology enables and what copyright restricts, and they provided an alternative approach for creators who want to share their work. Today that approach is used by millions of creators around the globe.” (Creative Commons, n.d., Unit 1)

Understanding how to reuse someone else’s work legally is complicated. Using works made available under Creative Commons licenses is a (fairly) straightforward way to navigate terms of use, permissions, and the details of Canadian copyright law. Let’s take a closer look!

What is Creative Commons?

Founded in 2002, Creative Commons (CC) is a nonprofit organization committed to open licensing. They provide creators, worldwide, with “a free, simple, and standardized way to grant copyright permissions for creative and academic works; ensure proper attribution; and allow others to copy, distribute, and make use of those works.” (Creative Commons, n.d.2).

It is important to understand that, although CC-licensed resources are free to use, there are some restrictions and attribution is always required. You must carefully read and understand the terms of the CC license and use the resource as specified.

Understanding Creative Commons Licenses

There are six Creative Commons licenses. From least restrictive to most restrictive, they are:

	Attribution CC BY	You can distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon a work, even commercially, as long as attribution is given to the original creator of the work.
	Attribution- Sharealike CC BY-SA	You can distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon a work, even commercially. Attribution must be given to the original creator and modified works must also be licensed CC BY-SA.
	Attribution- NoDerivatives CC BY-ND	You can reuse a work for any purpose, even commercially, but no modifications or adaptations are allowed. Attribution must be given to the original creator of the work.
	Attribution- NonCommercial CC BY-NC	You can remix, adapt, and build upon a work, but the use must be non-commercial. Attribution must be given to the original creator of the work.
	Attribution- NonCommercial- Sharealike CC BY-NC-SA	You can remix, adapt, and build upon a work, but the use must be non-commercial. Attribution must be given to the original creator and modified works must also be licensed CC BY-NC-SA.
	Attribution- NonCommercial- NoDerivatives CC BY-NC-ND	You can download and share a work, but it cannot be modified or adapted or used commercially. Attribution must be given to the original creator of the work.

License icons by Creative Commons / CC BY 4.0

Creative Commons also provides public domain tools that help creators make their work available without copyright restrictions.

Places to Find Creative Commons Licensed Content

Openverse

This search engine, linked on the CC website under “Search the Commons” and maintained by WordPress, allows you to search for CC-licensed content across the web. You can filter by the type of license or by intended use (commercial, modify/adapt).

Flickr

Flickr is a photo management and sharing site, with billions of photographs. You can limit your Flickr search results to CC-licensed images.

Wikimedia Commons

Many of the 80 million+ media files uploaded to Wikimedia Commons are CC-licensed. Be sure to check the license/terms of use for each resource and provide attribution as required.

Google Images

Google Images allows you to limit your search to CC-licensed images.

Once you have entered your search terms, in this example "human heart", click on Tools (1) to open a menu. Click on Usage Rights (2) and select Creative Commons licenses (3).

It is important to note that not all images retrieved this way are actually CC-licensed. Always check the source of the image to make sure you can use it without payment or permission.

Bing Images/Microsoft Office

To limit your Bing Images search to Creative Commons or Public Domain, click on Filter (1). Then click on License (2) and select the type of license from the dropdown menu (3). Bing’s filter allows you to be more specific than Google.

Microsoft Office allows you to insert online pictures through an integrated Bing Images Creative Commons search.

As with Google Images, the Bing Images/Microsoft Office Creative Commons search is NOT 100% reliable. Always check the source of the image to ensure if and how you are permitted to use it.

What does it mean to give a creator attribution?

Attribution is a requirement of all CC licenses. Creative Commons (n.d.3) states that an ideal attribution includes the:

• Title of the resource (with a link to the source)
• Author/creator (with a link to their profile page)
• CC License (with a link to the license details)

See the Creative Commons Best Practices for Attribution wiki for more details. 

When you insert a CC-licensed image in a Microsoft Office project, a generic attribution will be included. 

To obtain the correct title, author and license details , you will need to click the text This Photo (1) to view the original image. Replace the generic text with the actual title (linked to the source) and the author’s name (2) (linked to their profile, if available). Check to make sure that the CC license (3) is correct. The correct attribution (4) for this example is:

Doctor greeting patient by Vic is licensed under CC BY.

For more information about Creative Commons licenses and other copyright topics:

• visit our Copyright subject guide.
• reach out to us with your copyright questions using our new copyright email – copyright@nshealth.ca
• book a one-on-one consultation with a Library Services team member.
• check our Learning Opportunities and Events calendar for upcoming copyright education sessions.

References

1. Creative Commons. (n.d.1). Creative Commons Certificate for Educators, Academic Librarians and GLAM. https://certificates.creativecommons.org/cccertedu/

2. Creative Commons. (n.d.2). What we do. https://creativecommons.org/about/

3. Creative Commons. (n.d.3). Use & remix. https://creativecommons.org/about/

Roxanne MacMillan

Librarian Educator, Copyright
Dickson Building, Central Zone

“Research is something that everyone can do, and everyone ought to do. It is simply collecting information and thinking systematically about it.” (Raewyn Connell, 2021)

The research process is made up of several steps, all of which are important to effectively answer a question. Whether you are carrying out a literature search or a systematic review, the research process can seem overwhelming, even confusing. You may feel confident about your search, but then wonder how to properly evaluate what you have found. This post will help you decide on important factors for screening result sets for inclusion or exclusion.

Screening your search results is the process of weeding out any inadequate articles that you obtain after running your searches (Dalhousie Libraries, 2021). Screening is an evaluation tool that can be applied not only to literature searches and formal reviews, but also when quickly looking for best evidence on a topic. Screening can help evaluate “in the moment” search results, such as those required for patient care.

The screening process can be performed by one reviewer or a team of reviewers, depending on the information need or type of study being conducted. For example, “in the moment” research results may only have one reviewer, while a scoping or systematic review may have a team of reviewers. It is important that all reviewers on a team adhere to the same screening criteria.

When screening your results, whether for a formal research project or to gather evidence "in the moment" to inform patient care, keep these tips in mind:

1. Establish inclusion and exclusion criteria – If you are working with a team of reviewers, all members must be clear on which criteria are going to be included and which are going to be excluded. For example, inclusion criteria could be all participants in a study must be 50 years old and over. This means that any study that discusses participants under the age of 50 will automatically be excluded from the search results.

If you are the only person screening search results to inform a patient care decision, it is useful to know the type of study that will provide evidence-based results to support a therapeutic choice, such as an adult woman deciding what blood thinners will best manage her atrial fibrillation.

2. Review results using established inclusion and exclusion criteria – Remove items that clearly do not fit inclusion criteria and those not from a trustworthy or credible source. In the informal, patient care example above, you can screen in systematic reviews and/or randomized controlled trials. 

3. Read the full-text – After determining which articles will be included, access and read the full-text. Read the articles using critical appraisal tools, screening for credible evidence, bias, and peer reviews. In more formal reviews, full-text screening is often categorized as the “second level of screening,” as it follows a more in-depth, rigorous process (Dalhousie Libraries, 2021).

4. Check for and remove any duplicates – If you are searching multiple sources, make sure you haven’t included the same item more than once. Many citation managers, such as Zotero, have a feature that will check your search results for duplicates. Be sure to check out Library Services’ Citation Management guide for further instruction.

Tools that will guide your screening work

The PRISMA Flow Diagram (Moher et al., 2009) is a great tool to help more formal research projects record and summarize the screening process. There are also several other tools to help you manage evidence synthesis and aid in the screening process. The University of Toronto Libraries provide excellent step-by-step instruction on screening search results for those researchers looking to dive deeper into the process. 

Screening your results is a vital step in the research process—whether you are gathering evidence for a formal publication or using it to inform a local project or patient care. Our tips and tools will make it easier for you to put the knowledge you find into action.

Reach out to us at AskLibrary@nshealth.ca with any questions you have about screening search results, or the research process in general. You can also book a one-on-one consultation with a Library Services team member. We are always here to help!

References

1. Dalhousie Libraries. (2021). Knowledge Syntheses: A How-To Guide. https://dal.ca.libguides.com/systematicreviews/selectionscreening

2. Fisher, S. (2021). 17 research quotes to inspire and amuse you. Qualtrics. https://www.qualtrics.com/blog/research-quotes/ 

3. Moher, D., Liberati, A., Tetzlaff, J., Altman, D. G., & The PRISMA Group. (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement. PLoS Med. 6(6): e1000097. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed1000097

Amanda Andrews

Librarian Educator, Education & Training Lead
Cape Breton Regional Hospital, Eastern Zone

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a huge increase in the publication of biomedical articles. Submissions to Elsevier’s health and medical journals increased by 92% between February and May 2020 over the same period in 2019 (Else, 2020).

As COVID-19 research rapidly evolves, there have been a few notable retractions of published results.

• An article in The Lancet, citing harmful effects of the drug hydroxychloroquine, was withdrawn after evidence emerged that it was based on unverified data.
• Conversely, several articles touting the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine were also retracted (Retraction Watch, 2020).

Retraction Watch maintains a running list of COVID-19-related papers that have been withdrawn from publication; however, this issue is far broader and older than the pandemic. Articles may be retracted for a number of reasons, ranging from honest mistakes, to deliberate manipulation of the peer review process, plagiarism, or falsification of data. A 2016 study of articles retracted from BioMed Central journals between 2000 and 2015 found that 76% of the retractions were due to some form of misconduct (Moylan & Kowalczuk, 2016). The reason for a retraction is not always transparent.

Impact of retractions

Although “[r]etracting problematic articles helps to maintain the accuracy and integrity of the biomedical literature” (Gaudino et al, 2021), several studies have shown that many retracted articles continue to be cited long after they have been withdrawn (Candal-Pedreira et al., 2020; Gaudino et al., 2021; Theis-Mahon & Bakker, 2020). One notorious example of this is the 1998 paper by Wakefield et al., which linked vaccines and autism. It was cited at least 881 times between its partial retraction in 2004 and final retraction in 2010 (Candal-Pedreira et al., 2020).

Authors may unintentionally cite retracted articles for several reasons:

• They may not be aware that an article has been retracted because it is not clearly indicated in the text (Candal-Pedreira et al., 2010).
• Many retracted papers are still available in full text on authors’ websites, institutional repositories, or journal databases (Teixeira da Silva & Bornemann-Cimenti, 2017).
• Authors may assume that citation lists from other articles are reliable and accurate (Candal-Pedreira et al., 2010).
• Databases do not always link retraction notices to the original article (Teixeira da Silva & Bornemann-Cimenti, 2017).

For example, although the retracted status is noted, full text of this retracted article from the New England Journal of Medicine is still available on the journal’s website: 

(Mehra, Desai, Kuy, Henry, & Patel 2020)

Be aware!

Citing retracted articles can have serious consequences and, in the case of inaccurate medical research, may even pose risks to patient health (Candal-Pedreira et al., 2020; Teixeira da Silva & Bornemann-Cimenti, 2017).

The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) 2018 guidelines for submission to medical journals state that “authors are responsible for checking that none of the[ir] references cite retracted articles except in the context of referring to the retraction” (p.18).

If you are writing for publication, you can check your citation list for retracted articles by:

• Searching the Retraction Watch database. Although not an exhaustive list, this database contains more than 20,000 entries. Note: Citation manager Zotero partners with Retraction Watch to check your document database for retractions.
• Searching PubMed. The ICMJE (2018) considers PubMed the authoritative source for retracted journals indexed in MEDLINE. You can find retracted articles in PubMed by limiting your search results by ARTICLE TYPE from the filters in the left-hand column, and selecting Corrected and Republished Article, Retracted Publication, and/or Retraction of Publication. You may have to select “Additional filters” to see the full list of article types:

If you have questions about article retractions, email us at AskLibrary@nshealth.ca or book an appointment with a Library Services staff member.

Roxanne MacMillan

Librarian Educator
Dickson Building, Central Zone

UPDATED: June 4, 2024

Whether you are looking for a complete reference in a particular citation style, full-text access to one or more articles, or a variety of articles on a specific topic, Library Services has you covered. Not sure how to go about getting the information you need? This post is for you!

 Locating the Complete Citation of an Article

 A complete citation usually includes the author, article title, journal title, volume and issue numbers, publication date, and page numbers of the article. A complete citation will look something like this: 

Woodhouse, M., Worsley, P. R., Voegeli, D., Schoonhoven, L., & Bader, D. L. (2019). How consistent and effective are current repositioning strategies for pressure ulcer prevention? Applied Nursing Research, 48, 58-62. 

Citations may differ in the order that information is presented. Don’t worry if you don’t have all of the components. Library and information professionals know how to fill in the gaps and get the right article for you. The more information you provide, however, the better chance of locating the item you want. For information on building citations, check out our Citation Management subject guide. Select the Citation Examples tab for examples.

Locating the PMID number of an article is a great way to make sure you’ve got the elements of a complete citation. PMID numbers can be found at the bottom left of the abstract in PubMed. Check this one out.

You can also get citation information about an individual item in Google Scholar. Try searching for the Woodhouse, et al. (2019) article above in Google Scholar. Noticebelow the relevant citation. Clicking this icon presents the Cite box. It lists citations across a range of styles (APA, Vancouver, etc.) that you can copy and reuse as needed.

 Checking for Full-Text in Google Scholar and PubMed

Check for full-text in Google Scholar by running a search and looking for Full Text from NSHA to the right-hand side of each result.

You can find full-text articles in PubMed, too. Run a search in PubMed. Click on the title of the article you are interested in to present the full article view and note the icons to the right under Full text links. Follow the Nova Scotia Health Authority icon to view access options available to staff and physicians.

 Submitting a Request for Article Access (aka Interlibrary Loan) 

If the full-text isn’t available for free or through Library Services subscriptions, you may encounter the Request a document option when searching PubMed or Google Scholar. Clicking this option will help you fill out a request for an article, a service referred to as interlibrary loan. Try this link. Scroll down the page until you see a form with the heading Complete your information to request this item through document delivery. Simply fill in the Patron Information fields, select Send, and we’ll do our best to locate a copy of the article for you.

You can also submit a request for article access using this Document Delivery form. This form can be found by selecting Services from the menu at the top of the web page you are reading right now, then Document Delivery. Remember to include as much citation info as possible in your request. Doing so will allow library staff to find what you need more quickly.  

 Finding More Relevant Articles with the Literature Search Request Service

Submit a request for a literature search when you want to find a variety of articles on a particular subject across a range of databases. To submit the request, select Services at the top of this web page, then Literature Searching and you will be directed to the form.

To help library staff understand your request and find more relevant articles for you, include complete citation details of articles you’ve already identified as relevant when submitting your request.

You can try citation matching techniques on your own by looking for article matching tools in the databases you search. In PubMed, navigate to full citation view and look to the right of the screen. Under Similar articles notice a short list of articles similar to the one you’ve found. Click See all similar articles to see the full list.

Using any or all of the tips above will help you be more efficient with accessing, organizing and creating information at work. Get more tips and support from our team by booking a one-on-one consultation with a library team member.

Amanda Andrews

Health Sciences Librarian
Cape Breton Regional Hospital, Eastern Zone