Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
Reference accuracy is defined as the completeness and correctness of citation components such as author names, article title, journal name, volume designation, and page numbers. A representation of reference accuracy is often expressed as an error rate which is the percentage of citations with at least one error within a reference list. The purpose of this study was to describe the reference accuracy of peer-reviewed, primary studies about reference accuracy. The articles selected were a total of 105 studies included in a previously published scoping review about reference accuracy. A total of 1,486 references were verified across included studies. The overall error rate was 21.2%. Author names and article titles were the most common error types. The reported 21.2% error rate is lower than the 32.7% error rate of general reference accuracy literature reported in the scoping review. It remains unclear why authors who conduct empirical studies about reference accuracy still struggle with the issue. It is possible that all scholars, including those who study reference accuracy, are simply not good at creating accurate citations. Or, perhaps there are systemic reasons for this phenomenon that are an interaction of many factors or beyond anyone’s control. Future research is warranted to further understand the underlying factors that contribute to reference inaccuracy and explore the potential solutions to address the issue.
Category Archives: Journal of Librarianship and Information Science
Hurdles experienced by LIS authors from Pakistan during the operability or implementation of selected research methodologies: A qualitative exploration
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
Use of appropriate research methodology among authors is essential to produce high quality research. Practical operability or smooth implementation of research methodology and methods must be maintained because lapses in the implementation may hamper research and quality. Hurdles experienced by authors in the operability of research design may negatively impact the conclusions. Researchers need to be aware about the issues arising during the process of research and they must adopt certain steps to avoid such issues. The current study explored the hurdles, negative impacts and relevant measure to streamline the operability of research process. The current empirical research used qualitative design. Interview method was used for exploring author’s views. Pakistani LIS authors were selected for interview from those who have published more than one article during the period 2001 and 2016. Majority of the respondents experienced hurdles in the operability of selected research methodology. Few respondents faced problems because they selected inappropriate research method for the research problem, questions or phenomenon. Selection of irrelevant population and faulty sampling also create disturbances in the smooth execution of research process. Use of faulty data collection tool resulted in the collection of irrelevant, meaningless, neutral, or over rated data. Lack of access to data and its inventory nature and complexity of data analysis procedure also affected smooth operability. Hurdles created negative impact on the quality of research and compromised the accuracy, reliability and validity of results. Multiple strategies were proposed by authors to avoid such hurdles. The current study is an effort to help authors gain an understanding for better implementation and subsequently to make more informed decisions for selection of research methodology and methods.
Use of appropriate research methodology among authors is essential to produce high quality research. Practical operability or smooth implementation of research methodology and methods must be maintained because lapses in the implementation may hamper research and quality. Hurdles experienced by authors in the operability of research design may negatively impact the conclusions. Researchers need to be aware about the issues arising during the process of research and they must adopt certain steps to avoid such issues. The current study explored the hurdles, negative impacts and relevant measure to streamline the operability of research process. The current empirical research used qualitative design. Interview method was used for exploring author’s views. Pakistani LIS authors were selected for interview from those who have published more than one article during the period 2001 and 2016. Majority of the respondents experienced hurdles in the operability of selected research methodology. Few respondents faced problems because they selected inappropriate research method for the research problem, questions or phenomenon. Selection of irrelevant population and faulty sampling also create disturbances in the smooth execution of research process. Use of faulty data collection tool resulted in the collection of irrelevant, meaningless, neutral, or over rated data. Lack of access to data and its inventory nature and complexity of data analysis procedure also affected smooth operability. Hurdles created negative impact on the quality of research and compromised the accuracy, reliability and validity of results. Multiple strategies were proposed by authors to avoid such hurdles. The current study is an effort to help authors gain an understanding for better implementation and subsequently to make more informed decisions for selection of research methodology and methods.
Toward a library corporate social responsibility model: An empirical study
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
The purpose of this study is to develop a model for corporate social responsibility (CSR) in libraries. This study seeks to fill the gap in the literature regarding empirical studies on the factors influencing the social responsibility of public and academic libraries in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A quantitative study was conducted to examine the intention to adopt CSR in UAE libraries using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling Path Model Assessment. The process included an assessment of the measurement model and an assessment of the structural model. An online survey was conducted using a questionnaire, and data were gathered from 237 valid responses to validate the structural model of this study. The relationships among the variables and the most influential factors were determined using Importance-Performance Matrix Analysis. The results support significant relationships between activities and events, outreach, professional ethics, employees’ relationship, health and safety, partnerships, user issues, and reporting and library corporate social responsibility (LCSR). The study found that the most important factors in LCSR are employees’ relationships and professional ethics. The proposed model can help libraries to apply social responsibility that fits the nature of libraries. The theoretical framework and methodology used in this study could be useful for researchers in the fields of CSR and library and information science.
The purpose of this study is to develop a model for corporate social responsibility (CSR) in libraries. This study seeks to fill the gap in the literature regarding empirical studies on the factors influencing the social responsibility of public and academic libraries in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A quantitative study was conducted to examine the intention to adopt CSR in UAE libraries using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling Path Model Assessment. The process included an assessment of the measurement model and an assessment of the structural model. An online survey was conducted using a questionnaire, and data were gathered from 237 valid responses to validate the structural model of this study. The relationships among the variables and the most influential factors were determined using Importance-Performance Matrix Analysis. The results support significant relationships between activities and events, outreach, professional ethics, employees’ relationship, health and safety, partnerships, user issues, and reporting and library corporate social responsibility (LCSR). The study found that the most important factors in LCSR are employees’ relationships and professional ethics. The proposed model can help libraries to apply social responsibility that fits the nature of libraries. The theoretical framework and methodology used in this study could be useful for researchers in the fields of CSR and library and information science.
Book review: David Stuart. Web Metrics for Library and Information Professionals
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Volume 56, Issue 1, Page 286-287, March 2024.
Delving into the analysis of scientific production and communication in academic literature
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
Academic publishing plays a critical role in the dissemination of new knowledge and the advancement of scientific understanding, as it provides researchers with a means to share their findings and methods with scientific community, allowing new discoveries and innovations to be shared and used more widely, leading to further advancements and progress in various fields. In addition, by publishing their research, scholars establish their reputation and demonstrate their expertise to others in their field and, because of it, may be considered a key component of career advancement. The main objective of this research is to analyze the main recent contributions made by researchers in the field of academic production and communication. This study has been carried out using the Web of Science database, and applying bibliometric techniques, particularly Bibliometrics®, to analyze, in aggregate form, the 7417 documents analyzed, published in the period from 2012 to 2022. The results show the growing interest of researchers in this field of study, as well as the importance of certain authors, universities, and countries for their extensive contribution to the development of this area. We conclude that academic publishing plays a vital role in the advancement of scientific understanding and knowledge. It provides a means of accountability, helps to disseminate new discoveries, facilitates peer review, and supports career advancement, while also increasing the impact of research on the wider scientific community. Therefore, it is necessary to continue research efforts in this field of research.
Academic publishing plays a critical role in the dissemination of new knowledge and the advancement of scientific understanding, as it provides researchers with a means to share their findings and methods with scientific community, allowing new discoveries and innovations to be shared and used more widely, leading to further advancements and progress in various fields. In addition, by publishing their research, scholars establish their reputation and demonstrate their expertise to others in their field and, because of it, may be considered a key component of career advancement. The main objective of this research is to analyze the main recent contributions made by researchers in the field of academic production and communication. This study has been carried out using the Web of Science database, and applying bibliometric techniques, particularly Bibliometrics®, to analyze, in aggregate form, the 7417 documents analyzed, published in the period from 2012 to 2022. The results show the growing interest of researchers in this field of study, as well as the importance of certain authors, universities, and countries for their extensive contribution to the development of this area. We conclude that academic publishing plays a vital role in the advancement of scientific understanding and knowledge. It provides a means of accountability, helps to disseminate new discoveries, facilitates peer review, and supports career advancement, while also increasing the impact of research on the wider scientific community. Therefore, it is necessary to continue research efforts in this field of research.
Let my pictures convey my emotions: Acculturation and place attachment of mainland Chinese students in Hong Kong’s campus libraries
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
Acculturation is a crucial concern that international students grapple with while pursuing their studies in a cross-cultural environment. This study utilizes photovoice, a visual field method, along with reflexive thematic analysis (reflexive TA), to explore the emotional connection between mainland Chinese students in Hong Kong and campus libraries. Additionally, it explores the role of the university campus library in their acculturation process. The study’s findings underscore the profound attachment that mainland Chinese students develop toward campus libraries, revealing the complex nature of their acculturation journey. By engaging in comparisons encompassing individuals, rules, experiences, imagination, and culture, these students have cultivated favorable perceptions of their library experience, employing it as a strategic approach for acculturation and integration. Notably, the library space affords students a sanctuary of privacy and autonomy, facilitating their immersive engagement within a personal realm, and concurrently assuaging any sentiments of isolation and unease encountered in communal settings. However, the emotional attachment that mainland Chinese students develop toward the library may exacerbate long-term academic stress and anxiety, negatively affecting their experience adapting to the local culture. This groundbreaking article examines the relationship between international students’ acculturation and place attachment, providing crucial theoretical insight into this important issue. Moreover, the research provides valuable guidance for university administrators to effectively aid international students in adapting to cross-cultural environments.
Acculturation is a crucial concern that international students grapple with while pursuing their studies in a cross-cultural environment. This study utilizes photovoice, a visual field method, along with reflexive thematic analysis (reflexive TA), to explore the emotional connection between mainland Chinese students in Hong Kong and campus libraries. Additionally, it explores the role of the university campus library in their acculturation process. The study’s findings underscore the profound attachment that mainland Chinese students develop toward campus libraries, revealing the complex nature of their acculturation journey. By engaging in comparisons encompassing individuals, rules, experiences, imagination, and culture, these students have cultivated favorable perceptions of their library experience, employing it as a strategic approach for acculturation and integration. Notably, the library space affords students a sanctuary of privacy and autonomy, facilitating their immersive engagement within a personal realm, and concurrently assuaging any sentiments of isolation and unease encountered in communal settings. However, the emotional attachment that mainland Chinese students develop toward the library may exacerbate long-term academic stress and anxiety, negatively affecting their experience adapting to the local culture. This groundbreaking article examines the relationship between international students’ acculturation and place attachment, providing crucial theoretical insight into this important issue. Moreover, the research provides valuable guidance for university administrators to effectively aid international students in adapting to cross-cultural environments.
Knowledge mapping of information cocoons: A bibliometric study using visual analysis
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
Providing a systematic and complete knowledge map for researchers in the field of information cocoons, and helps them quickly understand the key knowledge, evolutionary trends and research frontiers. Using bibliometric methods and utilizing CiteSpace, Ucinet, and gCLUTO software, a scientific quantitative, and visual analysis was conducted on 2101 articles (from Web of Science and Scopus data collections) in the field of information cocoons research from 1966 to 2023. The numbers of publication present a rhythm with an exponential function y = 0.2477e0.1772x. The research hotspots of information cocoons mainly focus on social media and Internet, fake news, selective exposure, cognitive bubble and political polarization, mainly involving the discipline of journalism, communication, computer science, political science, management, sociology, economics. Twitter and Facebook are the most studied social media. The future research trend mainly focuses on rational intervention of misinformation, artificial intelligence personalized algorithm, machine learning, political polarization, personalized perception of recommendation, and the in-depth exploration of influencing factors of information cocoons.
Providing a systematic and complete knowledge map for researchers in the field of information cocoons, and helps them quickly understand the key knowledge, evolutionary trends and research frontiers. Using bibliometric methods and utilizing CiteSpace, Ucinet, and gCLUTO software, a scientific quantitative, and visual analysis was conducted on 2101 articles (from Web of Science and Scopus data collections) in the field of information cocoons research from 1966 to 2023. The numbers of publication present a rhythm with an exponential function y = 0.2477e0.1772x. The research hotspots of information cocoons mainly focus on social media and Internet, fake news, selective exposure, cognitive bubble and political polarization, mainly involving the discipline of journalism, communication, computer science, political science, management, sociology, economics. Twitter and Facebook are the most studied social media. The future research trend mainly focuses on rational intervention of misinformation, artificial intelligence personalized algorithm, machine learning, political polarization, personalized perception of recommendation, and the in-depth exploration of influencing factors of information cocoons.
How to measure the interdisciplinarity of library and information science courses? Based on empirical research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
The article proposes interdisciplinary indicators suitable for measuring and evaluating the interdisciplinarity of Library and Information Science (LIS) curriculum at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with the aim of addressing the problems that arise in interdisciplinary education through suggestions. The interdisciplinarity of the curriculum is simulated on the Coursera platform and the interdisciplinary indicators are adopted to measure the interdisciplinarity of the disciplines and the curriculum. The results of the interdisciplinary simulations show a wide range of disciplinary knowledge and a high degree of interdisciplinarity. The interdisciplinary process of the curriculum shows that certain courses have a significant impact on the number of discipline categories. The comprehensive evaluation results for the three measures are consistent, indicating that the impact of the interdisciplinary measures varies from course to course. This study aims to provide constructive ideas for interdisciplinary curriculum design and talent cultivation in the field of Library and Information Science. In addition, the measurement and evaluation method can provide a reference for other disciplines.
The article proposes interdisciplinary indicators suitable for measuring and evaluating the interdisciplinarity of Library and Information Science (LIS) curriculum at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with the aim of addressing the problems that arise in interdisciplinary education through suggestions. The interdisciplinarity of the curriculum is simulated on the Coursera platform and the interdisciplinary indicators are adopted to measure the interdisciplinarity of the disciplines and the curriculum. The results of the interdisciplinary simulations show a wide range of disciplinary knowledge and a high degree of interdisciplinarity. The interdisciplinary process of the curriculum shows that certain courses have a significant impact on the number of discipline categories. The comprehensive evaluation results for the three measures are consistent, indicating that the impact of the interdisciplinary measures varies from course to course. This study aims to provide constructive ideas for interdisciplinary curriculum design and talent cultivation in the field of Library and Information Science. In addition, the measurement and evaluation method can provide a reference for other disciplines.
Digital literacy among junior and high school students in crisis times
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic required schools around the world to transition to online learning. This sudden change forced students who never experienced online learning to study a full curriculum with this method and rely on unfamiliar technology. The study uses the context of online learning during the pandemic as a case study to explore the implications of crisis times (e.g. natural disasters, environmental or public health crises) for digital literacy (DL) among students. Findings reveal that parental support was a crucial factor during a pandemic crisis. The more parental support students receive, the higher their digital literacy, their self-efficacy, their attitude toward technology, and their perceived achievements. Previous findings indicated that during routine students with high digital literacy reported positive attitudes toward using technology in education, compared to those with low digital literacy. However, our findings found that students with more positive attitudes toward technology reported higher digital literacy.
In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic required schools around the world to transition to online learning. This sudden change forced students who never experienced online learning to study a full curriculum with this method and rely on unfamiliar technology. The study uses the context of online learning during the pandemic as a case study to explore the implications of crisis times (e.g. natural disasters, environmental or public health crises) for digital literacy (DL) among students. Findings reveal that parental support was a crucial factor during a pandemic crisis. The more parental support students receive, the higher their digital literacy, their self-efficacy, their attitude toward technology, and their perceived achievements. Previous findings indicated that during routine students with high digital literacy reported positive attitudes toward using technology in education, compared to those with low digital literacy. However, our findings found that students with more positive attitudes toward technology reported higher digital literacy.
Behavioural economics theories in information-seeking behaviour research: A systematic review
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Ahead of Print.
This study aims to systematically reveal the application of behavioural economics theories in information-seeking behaviour research to promote the theoretical development of information-seeking behaviour research. A systematic review method was utilised to collect 92 relevant articles published from 1989 to 2022. The temporal development of these articles, research themes, and the theoretical contributions of behavioural economics theories to information-seeking behaviour research were organised and analysed. The findings are as follows: First, behavioural economics theories have been applied in information-seeking behaviour research for more than30 years and have entered an accelerated development stage. Second, behavioural economics theories are widely adaptable to information-seeking behaviour research. Early behavioural economics theories are applicable to 10 research topics such as information-seeking stopping behaviour and information evaluation, while contemporary behavioural economics theories are applicable to 16 research topics: information-seeking strategies and health information-seeking. Third, behavioural economics theories have produced four contributions to information-seeking behaviour research by revealing the mechanisms underlying information-seeking behaviour, exploring behavioural and cognitive strategies in information-seeking behaviour, interpreting the biases underlying information-seeking behaviour, and constructing theoretical models for information-seeking behaviour.
This study aims to systematically reveal the application of behavioural economics theories in information-seeking behaviour research to promote the theoretical development of information-seeking behaviour research. A systematic review method was utilised to collect 92 relevant articles published from 1989 to 2022. The temporal development of these articles, research themes, and the theoretical contributions of behavioural economics theories to information-seeking behaviour research were organised and analysed. The findings are as follows: First, behavioural economics theories have been applied in information-seeking behaviour research for more than30 years and have entered an accelerated development stage. Second, behavioural economics theories are widely adaptable to information-seeking behaviour research. Early behavioural economics theories are applicable to 10 research topics such as information-seeking stopping behaviour and information evaluation, while contemporary behavioural economics theories are applicable to 16 research topics: information-seeking strategies and health information-seeking. Third, behavioural economics theories have produced four contributions to information-seeking behaviour research by revealing the mechanisms underlying information-seeking behaviour, exploring behavioural and cognitive strategies in information-seeking behaviour, interpreting the biases underlying information-seeking behaviour, and constructing theoretical models for information-seeking behaviour.