Subject Specialists at UF Libraries

Posted on February 10th, 2009 in Libraries and Librarians, Library Services by Melody Royster

Who are our subject specialists at UF and what can they do for you?

We are a group of librarians, most with advanced degrees in our subjects — masters and doctorates — all who are passionate about them. We spend our days keeping up with new publications, databases, and research in our areas so that we can help you find information you need to do your own research.

  • We select books, databases, journals, manuscripts, DVDs etc for our collection.
    Ask selectors to purchase materials you need or would like to see in the collection.
  • We teach library research classes detailing library resources or library  research methods for your particular field.
    Invite a librarian to teach one of your classes or lab meetings. Ask your professor to invite a librarian.
  • We consult with you on your library research, suggesting resources, techniques, and library services to help you.
    Email or call a librarian to meet with you individually about your research and problems you might have.
  • We maintain web pages to assist you with your research when we can’t be physically there.
    Check out our LibGuides and blogs for suggestions.

If you are working outside of your field, subject specialists can be especially helpful. Are you working on the linguistics of Spanish? Talk to our Romance Languages Librarian, Matt Loving. Are you working on policy issues for children with mental health problems? Speak with our Political Science Librarian, Peter Malanchuk. Working on autistic children in the schools? Speak to one of our Education Librarians, Marilyn Ochoa or Iona Malanchuk.

If you are new to a field just checking our web pages gives you great insight into which databases, methodologies and resources you can use. Plus we love talking with you!

Data Altered on Autism and MMR link

Posted on February 9th, 2009 in Research Techniques, Research Topics, scholarly communication by Melody Royster

The Times of London reported that the original study suggesting a link between vaccinations and autism used questionable data. Well, not just questionable, but really altered data.

Andrew Wakefield published a study stating that 8 of 12 children who were sent to him with autism had developed it autism within 24 hours to 2 weeks after the MMR injection. However, the investigation by The Times describes medical records showing that all but 1 child had already been treated or tested for brain disorders.

He apparently also told at least one parent that the measles virus was found alive in the child’s tissue. Three other labs in America found no virus. Apparently, Wakefield already knew this from studies in his own lab done before the paper was published, according to papers found by Brian Deer, the journalist who broke the story.

Fudging data to make one’s point: it’s a temptation for many researchers. But this appears to be bad, unethical science done for money from legal services and to sell a new vaccine for the same diseases.