Very interesting, Diane...the study you quote in Pediatrics is an 
exemplary one, and will be very useful as an illustration of why it's 
important to read the *whole* study to ensure the abstract matches 
the main part of the paper. I will use this example at a presentation 
I am preparing for some paeds and GPs later this month, to show them 
what happens.

Most people read abstracts only - if that. Heck, when I am collecting 
literature, *I* read the abstracts only, at least at first.

Abstracts - often, just half a sentence of them - are quoted in ads. 
They become a major selling point.  Pediatrics is an important, 
internationally-circulated child health journal. And this weasly 
abstract gets past its peer reviewers....how?

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc, tutor, UK

             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome