The desire for increased text definitions tied to concepts has raised the question as to whether URLs that point to definition resources or the definition itself should be allowed. Initial discussion with the Editorial AG members has lead to a variety of opinions. Further evaluation and discussion is desired
11 Comments
Ian Green
My worry about the use of URL's, is how to ensure on an ongoing basis that they remain current. Is there a technical solution to this dilemma ?
Ian
Toni Morrison
Is there any guidance in the style manuals (e.g. AMA Manual of Style)? It seems like this issue wouldn't be unique to us. I don't have access to the manual as it is a paid subscription.
Bruce Goldberg
I have come across some guidance in the APA (American Psychological Association) Style Guide to Electronic Reference. For example (and addressing Ian's question):
"Because online materials can potentially change URLs, APA recommends providing a Digital Object Identifier (DOI), when it is available, as opposed to the URL. DOIs are an attempt to provide stable, long-lasting links for online articles. They are unique to their documents and consist of a long alphanumeric code. Many-but not all-publishers will provide an article's DOI on the first page of the document."
There is also the MLA (modern Language Association) Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing:
MLA no longer requires the use of URLs in MLA citations. Because Web addresses are not static (i.e., they change often) and because documents sometimes appear in multiple places on the Web (e.g., on multiple databases), MLA explains that most readers can find electronic sources via title or author searches in Internet Search Engines.
For instructors or editors who still wish to require the use of URLs, MLA suggests that the URL appear in angle brackets after the date of access. Break URLs only after slashes.
Aristotle. Poetics. Trans. S. H. Butcher. The Internet Classics Archive. Web Atomic and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 13 Sept. 2007. Web. 4 Nov. 2008. ‹http://classics.mit.edu/›.
Kathy Giannangelo
The Chicago Manual of Style recommends DOI.
AMA Manual of Style states - When the DOI is provided, it is preferable to cite it rather than the URL
Elaine Wooler
Useful information from the BMJ Journals website which I have used before and also a link to enable you to find the DOI of an article:
Electronic citations
Websites are referenced with their URL and access date, and as much other information as is available. Access date is important as websites can be updated and URLs change. The "date accessed" can be later than the acceptance date of the paper, and it can be just the month accessed.
Electronic journal articles
Morse SS. Factors in the emergency of infectious diseases. Emerg Infect Dis 1995 Jan-Mar;1(1). www.cdc.gov/nciod/EID/vol1no1/morse.htm (accessed 5 Jun 1998).
Electronic letters
Bloggs J. Title of letter. Journal name Online [eLetter] Date of publication. url eg: Krishnamoorthy KM, Dash PK. Novel approach to transseptal puncture. Heart Online [eLetter] 18 September 2001. http://heart.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/86/5/e11#EL1
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
A DOI is a unique string created to identify a piece of intellectual property in an online environment and is particularly useful for articles that are published online before appearing in print (and therefore have not yet been assigned the traditional volume, issue and page number references). The DOI is a permanent identifier of all versions of an article, whether raw manuscript or edited proof, online or in print. Thus the DOI should ideally be included in the citation even if you want to cite a print version of an article.
Find a DOI >>
How to cite articles with a DOI before they have appeared in print
1. Alwick K, Vronken M, de Mos T, et al. Cardiac risk factors: prospective cohort study. Ann Rheum Dis Published Online First: 5 February 2004. doi:10.1136/ard.2003.001234
How to cite articles with a DOI once they have appeared in print
1. Vole P, Smith H, Brown N, et al. Treatments for malaria: randomised controlled trial. Ann Rheum Dis2003;327:765–8 doi:10.1136/ard.2003.001234 [published Online First: 5 February 2002].
Matt Cordell
I've never encountered DOI before, but it looks like they are perhaps specific to journal/artical type resources.
The answer is probably going to depend on what sort of resources are going to be represented? Online dictionary/encyclopedia type things - do these use DOI?
If you just referenced urls, you could script something that simply checks each url is still valid (not dead). There's no guarantee the content hasn't changed though...
And if you're lucky the sources might provide some clue if things change. e.g. https://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/a1c/
Has a reviewed and modified dates on each page. I expect most reputable sources, probably provide something like this. These could be programatically leveraged too.
Jim Case
Additional issues that arose out of the discussion on this topic:
Michael Lawley
DOIs are not a solution to keeping URLs current - they are just another identifier.
Fortunately the SNOMED CT URI specification has already defined a handy URI (I as in Identifier) for every concept.
Also fortunately these URIs are also potentially resolvable URLs and the IHTSDO owns the relevant domain name. So, a technical solution would be for the IHTSDO to make them resolvable (ie host an HTML and/or JSON page) for each one that included the detailed text definition.
It would also be possible to go a step further and, for concepts in other namespaces, arrange for automatic redirection to an equivalent set of pages hosted by the organisation that owns that namespace.
There are even versioned URIs/URLs in case there's a need/desire to host historical definitions.
Matt Cordell
Hi Michael Lawley, I think the definitions in this context are 3rd party, so I'm not sure the URI spec is applicable.
For example a refset of links to entries in an online medical dictionary. (Though a more robust/elaborate reference is more likely)
Michael Lawley
Ah, so this is a question about how best to cite sources?
I had thought it was about where to put the "increased text definitions tied to concepts" and using a URL in a Description rather than long text.
Jim Case
This will be handled through the annotation process. They will not be allowed in definition.