Doing your own research isn’t a bad thing, I tell my patients. But just how will they spot the fraudulent papers? | Ranjana Srivastava

While every self-aware doctor knows no one is an expert on everything, the average person turning to the internet cannot distinguish evidence from gloss

One of my children is irate at my deletion of an important school email. I claim that so many useless emails rain into my inbox that some useful ones will surely be missed. This excuse attracts zero sympathy but prompts me to comb through the hundreds of deleted emails. They are from every part of the world - Lisbon to London, Athens to Ankara - and almost all of them are an invitation to shine at a research publication.

In recognition of your scholarly achievements and contributions to the advancement of knowledge in your field, we request you to submit a research paper on a topic of your choice.