Review of the Delphi method in library and information science research

2020 ◽  
Vol 76 (4) ◽  
pp. 929-960 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brady D. Lund
Keyword(s):  
Delphi Method ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Science Research ◽  
General Information ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Scholarly Journals ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Delphi Studies

PurposeThis article presents an introduction to the Delphi method and review of Delphi studies published in the literature of library and information science (LIS).Design/methodology/approachA review of Delphi studies published between the years of 1971 and 2019 is performed, using studies retrieved from the Library and Information Science Source database. A total of 122 articles were retrieved and evaluated based on the population studied, means of identifying experts, number of participants for each study round, type of Delphi, and type of findings.FindingsGeneral librarians (any type), academic librarians, and information science researchers are the most common populations in LIS Delphi studies. On average (middle 50 percent of studies), 14–36 experts are used in the first round of LIS Delphi studies (median n = 23). Employment in a specific role and publications in scholarly journals are the most common means of identifying experts. Variants of the e-Delphi (online survey/email) method are increasingly common, particularly in LIS Delphi studies that focus on general information science, rather than library, topics. Though LIS Delphi studies are relatively few in number, they have a consistent record of being published in some of the most prestigious LIS journals.Originality/valueThis paper provides an introduction to the Delphi method for LIS research and presents an overview of existing literature in LIS that utilizes the research method. No overview of this extent exists in the LIS literature, and, thus, this paper may serve as an important information source about the method for LIS researchers.

A review of cluster analysis techniques and their uses in library and information science research: k-means and k-medoids clustering

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brady Lund ◽  
Jinxuan Ma
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Analytic Approach ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Analysis Techniques ◽  
Cluster Analytic

PurposeThis literature review explores the definitions and characteristics of cluster analysis, a machine-learning technique that is frequently implemented to identify groupings in big datasets and its applicability to library and information science (LIS) research. This overview is intended for researchers who are interested in expanding their data analysis repertory to include cluster analysis, rather than for existing experts in this area.Design/methodology/approachA review of LIS articles included in the Library and Information Source (EBSCO) database that employ cluster analysis is performed. An overview of cluster analysis in general (how it works from a statistical standpoint, and how it can be performed by researchers), the most popular cluster analysis techniques and the uses of cluster analysis in LIS is presented.FindingsThe number of LIS studies that employ a cluster analytic approach has grown from about 5 per year in the early 2000s to an average of 35 studies per year in the mid- and late-2010s. The journal Scientometrics has the most articles published within LIS that use cluster analysis (102 studies). Scientometrics is the most common subject area to employ a cluster analytic approach (152 studies). The findings of this review indicate that cluster analysis could make LIS research more accessible by providing an innovative and insightful process of knowledge discovery.Originality/valueThis review is the first to present cluster analysis as an accessible data analysis approach, specifically from an LIS perspective.

Journal packing density of library and information science research journals at the global level: a study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramesh Pandita ◽  
Shivendra Singh
Keyword(s):  
Packing Density ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Research Articles ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Global Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Journal Publishing ◽  
Research Journal ◽  
The Usa

Purpose This study aims to find out the average journal packing density (JPD) of Library and Information Science (LIS) research journals published across the world. The concept, JPD, means the average number of research articles published by a research journal in one volume. Accordingly, the undergoing study evaluates the average number of research articles published in each volume of each research journal published in the field of LIS at the global level. Some other key aspects evaluated include the number of LIS research journal publishing countries, average JPD of LIS research journals at the continental level, etc. Design/methodology/approach This study is purely based on secondary data retrieved from SCImago, which is SCOPUS data. Keeping in view the objectives of this study, the data about research articles published in all LIS research journals during the period 2015 through 2019 were retrieved to undertake the study. Findings From the data analysis, it emerged that 256 research journals duly indexed by SCOPUS are published in the field of LIS across 36 countries. In all 48,596 research articles were published from 2015 to 2019 in these research journals at an average of 44.71 research articles per journal per volume. More than 75% of LIS research journals are published from Germany, Spain, Netherlands, the USA and the UK. Research journals published from the USA have higher JPD of 53.09 research articles per journal per volume, which is 18.74% higher than the average global JPD of LIS research journals. 50% of LIS research journal publishing countries are from Europe and the majority 52.55% LIS research articles were published in European LIS research journals. The average JPD of LIS research journals published from North America is 51.73 research articles per journal per volume, which is the highest across continents. Research limitations/implications Standardization of JPD of research journals irrespective of the subject discipline they are published in is important for many reasons and the foremost being, such standardization helps in keeping at bay the predatory research journals, which normally float such packing density norms, with the sole aim to earn money in the shape of manuscript handling charges, thereby publishing a far greater number of research article in each issue of a journal than the average research articles published by a research journal. Originality/value Very few studies have been conducted around the concept JPD, especially by the authors of this particular study. This study has however been particularized to the LIS subject discipline, while the findings add to existing lot of study already undertaken, hence outcome can be generalized.

The use of bibliographic management software by Indian library and information science professionals

2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 499-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shri Ram ◽  
John Paul Anbu K.
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Management Software ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Dissemination Of Research ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Information Professionals ◽  
Library Professionals

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to have a closer look at the awareness of referencing utilities among the library professionals in India. In a research environment, referencing and bibliography play an important role in the dissemination of research findings through scholarly writings. Citing references while writing scholarly articles has become more eloquent mainly due to the availability of a range of bibliography management utilities. Currently, there are various types of Bibliography Management Software (BMS) available for the management of the citation, referencing and compiling bibliographies. Librarians have a crucial role to play in helping the faculty, students and research scholars in the process of writing their scholarly articles and theses, especially in the area of referencing. Design/methodology/approach – The study was conducted through an online survey with an aim to assess the perception, awareness and use of BMS by the Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals in India. Findings – In the academic environment, published results of research findings are crucial for the advancement of knowledge. The published research findings are often supported and disputed using the citation of previous studies. There are a number of supporting technologies that are intended to help in procuring needed citations and streamlining them for better research output. The role of the librarian in this endeavor is undisputed. This study shows that there is a need for strengthening the awareness of BMS at the institutional level and also hands-on experience is needed for library professionals to help in the process of research writing and advocate for adopting correct referencing style (citation style) while writing scholarly articles. Practical implications – The increased use of information and communication technology in the process of scholarly writing, especially in the search and retrieval of relevant articles and the availability of electronic journals and books, have resulted in an increased number of research articles being written by research scholars. The downside to this overflow of scholarly and creative writing is the incorrect way of using referencing style in the dissemination of research and the possibilities of malpractice and plagiarism. This study will help in creating awareness of the utility of citation and BMS in content writing, especially among library and information professionals, as they play an important role in facilitating research. Social implications – This study will be beneficial for the LIS professionals in understanding the effectiveness of their services when complemented by the use of technology-powered tools. Creating awareness of the use of BMS in content development in scholarly communication promises to create a flawless scholarly output as library professionals will help researchers in guiding research writings with correct referencing and citation. Originality/value – Use of BMS helps in the development of content in an organized, methodical and scientific way. The role of library and information professionals working with different researchers and scholars in advocating and practicing the use of BMS will go a long way in creating more streamlined content.

scholarly journals A Pilot Study Examining the Information Seeking of Fiction Writers

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arielle VanderSchans
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Early Step ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Fiction Writers

This paper explores the information-seeking behaviours of fiction writers through a pilot study using an online survey. The information-seeking behaviour of fiction writers has been understudied, with the focus in Library and Information Science research falling predominantly on readership and publishing. This study represents an early step in exploring creativity and serendipity’s role in the information-seeking habits of storytellers.

scholarly journals Eye tracking in library and information science: a literature review

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 585-614 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haakon Lund
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Eye Tracking ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reference Databases ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Published Research ◽  
Tracking Technology

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a systematic literature review of the application of eye-tracking technology within the field of library and information science. Eye-tracking technology has now reached a level of maturity, which makes the use of the technology more accessible. Subsequently, a growing interest in employing eye tracking as a methodology within library and information science research must be anticipated. Design/methodology/approach The review follows the guidelines set in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses recommendations. Two reference databases are searched for relevant references: Library and Information Science Abstracts and Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts. The main selection criteria are peer-reviewed literature that describes the experimental setting, including which eye-tracking equipment was used, the number of test persons and reports on the eye-tracking measures. Furthermore, this study will report which other methods were applied in combination with eye tracking. Findings The number of published research utilizing eye-tracking technologies within library and information science (LIS) is still limited although an increase in the use of eye-tracking technologies is observed during recent years. Originality/value To the knowledge of the author, this is the first systematic review on eye-tracking technology and application in LIS.

Effects of gender in library and information science research

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 488-503 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sumeer Gul ◽  
Tariq Ahmad Shah ◽  
Samir N. Hamade ◽  
Rabiya Mushtaq ◽  
Ikrah Koul
Keyword(s):  
Information Science ◽  
Citation Count ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Electronic Library ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Female Authors ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Status

Purpose This study aims to showcase the effect of gender in the field of library and information science. Design/methodology/approach Research and review articles published from 2005 through 2014 in The Electronic Library, a prominent journal in the field of Library and Information Science, were examined from the perspective of authors’ gender. Influence of gender was assessed with respect to at individual and collaborative levels, quality in terms of citedness and citation count, and receipt of research grants. Findings There has been an increase in the proportion of male authors over the years with a resulting decline in female authors. Male authors are more productive as teachers, while females contribute more as working professionals or while they peruse their academic/research programmes. Though the productivity in collaborative works has increased in all gender combinations, it is more prominent when authors of opposite gender team up. No significant difference is observed in the number of national or international works produced in different collaborative authorship patterns. There is no difference in the number of male and female authors in male–female collaborative works. Works sponsored by grants are produced more frequently in groups comprising male–female or male–male members. No significant difference is observed in the number of cited or uncited works produced in different authorship patterns. The number of citations to works is independent of the nature of gender-wise authorship patterns. Research limitations/implications The study examines the status of women in research, specifically in the field of library and information science. The findings of the study are based on the contribution of the authors involved with the journal, “The Electronic Library”. Readers are encouraged to expand the study by including authors that contribute to other library and information science journals. Originality/value The study is first of its kind to highlight the involvement and observe the influence of female authors in the field of library and information science research.

Library and information science research in the Arab World: a bibliometric analysis 1951–2021

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadeem Siddique ◽  
Shafiq Ur Rehman ◽  
Shakil Ahmad ◽  
Akhtar Abbas ◽  
Muhammad Ajmal Khan
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Research Performance ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Data Retrieval ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Arab Region ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This study aims to investigate the research productivity of library and information science (LIS) authors affiliated with the 22 countries of the Arab League. It also identifies the top countries, organizations, authors, journals, natures of collaboration, and frequently used keywords in LIS research in the Arab world. Design/methodology/approach Bibliometric methods were used to evaluate the research performance of the authors affiliated with library organizations in the Arab region. The Elsevier Scopus database was selected for data retrieval. A comprehensive search strategy was adopted to retrieve 863 publications contributed by LIS authors affiliated with the Arab countries. VOS viewer, Biblioshiny, BiblioAnalyitics, Microsoft Access and Microsoft Excel were used for data visualization and analysis. Findings This paper presents the dynamics and the state of the LIS research in the Arab region published between 1951 and 2021. The results of the study have highlighted an upward trend in the growth of the publications, especially in the past four years. The largest number of studies were published in the year 2020. The country-wise analysis ranked Kuwait and Saudi Arabia as the top LIS research producing countries with five and four researchers, respectively. The Kuwait University, the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals and the Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University were the three most productive organizations. Academic libraries, social media, bibliometrics, information-seeking behavior, information literacy and knowledge management were identified as the major areas of interest for the researchers. Internet and open access were topics that had gained recent popularity, while the digital library, research data management, green librarianship, link data, cloud computing, library leadership, library automation and artificial intelligence were identified as areas requiring further attention. Furthermore, the single-author pattern was found to be the most preferred pattern. Practical implications The findings of this study would help prospective researchers in choosing the neglected areas of research that require further investigation. They would also help policymakers in identifying factors that need more attention and allocation of research funds. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first comprehensive bibliometric study that presents a holistic picture of the LIS research in the Arab region.

The use of librarians as occupational study populations in social science research

2014 ◽  
Vol 63 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 2-14
Author(s):  
Julie Still ◽  
Zara Wilkinson
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
The Body ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Occupational Groups ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Population ◽  
The Subject

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address the use of librarians as a study population in social science research outside of the field of library and information science. Additionally, it aims to make general claims about how frequently librarians have been studied compared to other occupations, as well as to identify and describe existing research that has used librarians as a study population. Design/methodology/approach – The described study had two parts. Two social science databases were searched using the subject headings “librarians” and eight additional occupations, and the results for all nine occupations were analyzed. The peer-reviewed results for “librarians” were then coded by content. The articles that used librarians as a study population were identified, reviewed and described. Findings – Although librarians, as an occupational group, possess many characteristics that should make them an ideal choice for social science research, they seem to be studied less frequently than other occupations. Research limitations/implications – Other occupational groups, such as mathematicians, were also studied infrequently. Further research might consider, more broadly, why some occupations are studied more frequently than others. Future studies might also compare librarianship to other female-dominated professions, such as nursing and education. Additionally, the subject heading “librarians” was applied to articles that studied non-professional library employees, making it difficult to isolate only articles with a focus on degreed librarians. Originality/value – Few other studies have examined social science research in which librarians are used as the study population. By focusing on how librarians are studied and written about in other fields, this paper will add to the body of literature on the professional image of librarians.

Mapping collaboration and impact of library and information science research in sub-Saharan Africa, from 1995 to 2016

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 349-363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omwoyo Bosire Onyancha
Keyword(s):  
Information Science ◽  
Research Collaboration ◽  
Citation Impact ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Citation Indexes ◽  
Sub Saharan

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to map and visualise collaboration patterns and citation impact of the library and information science research in sub-Saharan Africa between 1995 and 2016. Design/methodology/approach Data were extracted from the Thomson Reuters’ citation indexes using the name of the country in an advanced search platform. The search was limited to documents designated as articles. Data were analysed using the VosViewer software to obtain network maps and frequencies of occurrence. Findings The findings reveal that publication and citation impact of LIS research in sub-Saharan Africa has continued to grow since 1995; foreign countries have immensely contributed to the evolution and development of LIS research in the region; research collaboration occurs both regionally and internationally, with the latter being the most prominent; South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya are the most active participants in LIS research collaboration in the region; and that on average, international collaboration in LIS research in sub-Saharan Africa attracts more citations than other types of collaboration. Research limitations/implications The study was limited to the data indexed in the Web of Science citation indexes and focused on sub-Saharan African countries only. Practical implications Collaboration is said to lead to increased research output and impact, hence the need for sub-Saharan African researchers and institutions to initiate strategies that will create conducive environments for research collaboration. There is need for collaborative ventures between LIS practitioners and educators as well as increased cooperation among LIS schools within and outside of sub-Saharan African countries. Partnerships involving students and programmes such as research fellowship, post-doctoral researchers as well as visiting researchers may complement any existing strategies that can be pursued to increase collaborative research in LIS in the region. Originality/value The paper, while drawing lessons from previous papers, adopted a variety of techniques to examine collaboration patterns and impact of LIS research over a longer period of publication time, i.e. 1995 to 2016, and a larger geographic scope.

Looking for knowledge management in library and information science research

2020 ◽  
Vol 69 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 697-716
Author(s):  
Naresh Kumar Agarwal ◽  
Md. Anwarul Islam
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Publication Trends ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Past ◽  
Other Information

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the place of knowledge management (KM) in library and information science (LIS) research. The authors looked for KM articles published in top LIS journals since 2000. Design/methodology/approach The authors analyzed publication trends and the distribution of articles by KM-related terms used, region/country and information-setting type. The authors also identified the top-cited KM articles published in these LIS journals. Findings In total, 672 KM-related articles (only 3.84%) were found within the 17,491 articles published in these LIS journals. Research limitations/implications This low percentage shows that while it might seem like LIS people are advocating for KM in libraries and other information settings, the authors find that despite the synergies, KM is yet to find a broader place within other LIS concerns. Originality/value Research published during the past two decades has frequently discussed how KM is important for libraries and for LIS. However, the authors do not know the extent to which KM forms a part of LIS research.

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