Reliability of the Snellen chart
Year: 1995
Type: article
Abstract: robust scientific and informational infrastructure to support basic research.As a result they often cannot provide the academic and economic incentives to produce the associated research literature.Their journals generally have linguistic, financial, and production difficulties undreamt of by their Western counterparts, leading to irregular publication, indifferent aesthetic qualities, and poor editing and proof reading.Despite all these factors, and even though many of the journals are not subject to stringent peer review, they are nevertheless well worth exploring.Another reason for the lack of Third World literature in global databases is the simple fact that it is very difficult to find.International services such as Medline or the Science Citation Index typically index some 3000 journals-98% from the First World and only 2% from the Third World.This is a starting point for the vicious cycle affecting Third World literature: joumals that are not indexed are rarely stocked by librarians, hence rarely cited by authors, and hence rarely indexed. Extreme complacencyThe lack of interest in Third World literature is also a symptom of extreme complacency.Despite the acknowledged weaknesses of the Third World's abilities to collect and disseminate information can we believe that all knowledge lies in the West and, more particularly-since over 80% of all scientific research published in indexed journals is in English -in the English speaking part of the West?' Are we right in suggesting that the rest of the world adds nothing to the body of knowledge?Even if we should presume that most of the world's valid, important biomedical information originates in the West-and there is evidence (see, for example, Gaillard2) to suggest that this is wilful self delusion-what about at least a minority contribution from the rest?The 2% participation in international scientific discourse allowed by Western indexing services is simply too little to account for the scientific output of 80% of the world.
Source: BMJ
Authors: Paul McGraw, Barry Winn, David Whitaker
Institutions: University of Bradford, Glasgow Caledonian University
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2119487559