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Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Example of Hallucination in a Search

This hallucination was generated on June 22, 2023

Prompt: 

Can you make this web of science search string searchable using Embase, using both controlled vocabulary and free terms/keywords? (TS=((Hepacivir* OR HCV) OR ((hepatitis OR hep) NEAR/5 C))) AND TS=(LTC OR "Lost to Follow up" OR "Loss to follow up" OR "real world treat*" OR "real world result*" OR (care NEAR/5 (cascade OR continuum OR linkage)))

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answer:
To make your Web of Science search string searchable in Embase, you can use a combination of controlled vocabulary terms and free terms/keywords. Here's how you can modify your search string for Embase: (Hepacivir* OR HCV) - This part can remain the same since it consists of specific terms. (hepatitis OR hep) NEAR/5 C - In Embase, you can use the proximity operator "NEAR" with a number indicating the maximum number of words between the terms. However, Embase does not have the "C" operator. Instead, you can rephrase it as a phrase search using quotation marks. The modified term will be: "hepatitis" OR "hep" NEAR/5 "C". LTC - This term can remain the same since it consists of specific terms. "Lost to Follow up" OR "Loss to follow up" - You can keep these terms as they are since they are already in quotation marks. "real world treat*" OR "real world result*" - These terms can remain the same since they consist of specific phrases within quotation marks. (care NEAR/5 (cascade OR continuum OR linkage)) - In Embase, you can use the proximity operator "NEAR" with a number indicating the maximum number of words between the terms. Additionally, you can replace the "OR" operator with the "AND" operator for better precision. The modified term will be: care NEAR/5 (cascade AND continuum AND linkage). The modified search string for Embase using both controlled vocabulary and free terms/keywords will be: (TS=((Hepacivir* OR HCV) OR ("hepatitis" OR "hep" NEAR/5 "C"))) AND TS=(LTC OR "Lost to Follow up" OR "Loss to follow up" OR "real world treat*" OR "real world result*" OR (care NEAR/5 (cascade AND continuum AND linkage))) Please note that while I have provided suggestions to modify the search string, it's always a good idea to review and adjust the search strategy based on the specific features and capabilities of the target database (Embase) to achieve the desired results.

Explanation: While this search translation looks accurate to someone unfamiliar with Embase, this is not the correct search syntax.

Here are a few examples of mistakes made by ChatGPT in this answer

  1. Embase can be accessed via Ovid or Embase.com, neither of these platforms use the fields TS
  2. Embase via Embase.com uses single quotes when denoting a phrase.
    1. "Loss to follow up" should actually be 'Loss to follow up'
  3. The search string allegedly uses controlled vocabulary, which is called Emtree terms in Embase. These are not present in this search.  

Example of a Citation Hallucination

Note: This prompt was ran in March 2023

 

Step 1: ChatGPT was given the prompt, "Can you give me 10 journal articles on treatments for periodontitis in the style of the APA 7th edition citation format?" The first article provided by ChatGPT was:

  1.  Sanz, M., Herrera, D., & Kebschull, M. (2015). Challenging the efficacy of periodontal surgery. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 42(6), 513-516. doi: 10.1111/jcpe.12406

Step 2: A librarian fact-checked the provided citation. This is the breakdown of what was found:

  • Sanz, M., Herrera, D., & Kebschull, M. (2015). Challenging the efficacy of periodontal surgery. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 42(6), 513-516. doi: 10.1111/jcpe.12406
    • Sanz, M., Herrera, D., & Kebschull, M authored a different article together: D Herrera, M Kebschull, M Sanz (2022). Actualización de las revisiones sistemáticas. International journal of interdisciplinary dentistry 15(SPC), 115-119.
    • 2015 is accurate, in terms of the journal, volume, issue, and page #'s
    • The article titled "Challenging the efficacy of periodontal surgery" does not exist
    • Volume 42, Issue 6 of the Journal of Clinical Periodontology has the article, "Variables affecting tooth survival and changes in probing depth: a long-term follow-up of periodontitis patients" on pages 513-516
    • The DOI links to a different article, "Human intrabony defect regeneration with rhFGF-2 and hyaluronic acid – A randomized controlled clinical trial"

Step 3: The librarian told  ChatGPT that the citation it provided doesn't exist, ChatGPT then gave the "correct" citation for the article as:

  • Sanz, M., Herrera, D., & Kebschull, M. (2015). Challenging the efficacy of periodontal surgery. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 42(Suppl 16), S187-S201. doi: 10.1111/jcpe.12406

Step 4: The librarian once again fact-checked the answer. When looking up Volume 42, Supplement 16 in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, the actual citation on pages S187-S201 was:

  • Salvi, G. E., & Ramseier, C. A. (2015). Efficacy of patient-administered mechanical and/or chemical plaque control protocols in the management of peri-implant mucositis. A systematic review. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 42(S16), S187–S201. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpe.12321

Step 5: ChatGPT was provided with the correct citation. It then generated another 10 articles based on the original prompt. The first article provided was again incorrect.

  • Generated ChatGPT citation:

    • Chapple, I. L. C., Mealey, B. L., Van Dyke, T. E., Bartold, P. M., Dommisch, H., Eickholz, P., ... & Kinane, D. F. (2018). Periodontal health and gingival diseases and conditions on an intact and a reduced periodontium: Consensus report of workgroup 1 of the 2017 World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases and Conditions. Journal of clinical periodontology, 45(Suppl 20), S68-S77. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpe.12935

  • The actual citation located at that DOI: 

    • Salvi, G. E., & Ramseier, C. A. (2015). Efficacy of patient-administered mechanical and/or chemical plaque control protocols in the management of peri-implant mucositis. A systematic review. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 42(S16), S187–S201. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpe.12321