Electronic Theses and Dissertations and the Promotion of Scholarship in African Universities: Prospects and Challenges

Ezema, Ifeanyi J.; Igbo, Harriet U.

doi:10.1080/10572317.2016.1146038

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Value of theses and dissertations emphasize on the value of TDs by observing that students and supervisors collaborate in lengthy research that contributes to scholarship in their fields. The research showcases the calibre of the respective academics and the quality of research they produce (Ezema and Igbo, 2016). TDs, therefore, impact greatly on the reputation of the universities concerned as they are a reflection of the student's work as well as that of the faculty.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Access to theses and dissertations. Traditionally, TDs are deposited in the library where access is not only restricted but also under surveillance of the library staff (Ezema and Igbo, 2016). Kiondo (2004) has observed that developments in information communication technologies (ICTs) and the growing realisation that information is a public commodity have contributed to increased access to TDs.…”

Section: Status Of Bibliographic Control Of Theses and Dissertationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Bibliographic control of theses and dissertations in Kenya

Ndungu

2017

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Purpose This study aims to identify and analyse the challenges faced in the bibliographic control of theses and dissertations in Kenya. Design/methodology/approach The study used descriptive survey method and targeted four universities in Kenya and two initiatives whose objective is compilation of a database of theses and dissertations. The total number of respondents was 17 out of a target of 21. Findings The study found delays in the libraries getting their designated copies; ineffective coordination between the different university departments in the deposition process; deposition of soft copies is still a grey area in the universities surveyed; libraries have embedded records of theses and dissertations in their Online Public Access Catalogues (OPACs); delays in capturing theses and dissertations in the libraries’ OPACs; and lack of consistency and uniformity in the bibliographic records. Research limitations/implications Many universities have joined the electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) movement and now require graduating students to deposit an electronic copy of their research thesis or dissertation. Currently, universities in Kenya either already have institutional repositories (IRs) or they are at an advanced stage of implementation. There is need for further research on the status adoption of ETDs; the status of IRs; treatment of theses and dissertations (TDs) in Kenya; challenges and prospects of subject analysis of TDs; cost-effective metadata creation for TDs; issues in metadata creation and standardization for TDs; and automated metadata creation. Practical implications Without a comprehensive source of all TDs submitted in universities in Kenya, TDs will be inaccessible and therefore underutilised. There will also be the risk of duplication of research and plagiarism because it will be difficult to ascertain the authenticity and integrity of TDs submitted in the various universities. Originality/value This is the only research in Kenya that has analysed the status of bibliographic control of theses and dissertations. The study will enable university administrators to put in place appropriate policies for improved bibliographic control of theses and dissertations. The study may be used to inform policy frameworks as universities begin to build their institutional repositories. The findings shed light on the treatment of TDs and challenges of cataloguing them.

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Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Status Of Bibliographic Control Of Theses and Dissertationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bibliographic control of theses and dissertations in Kenya

Ndungu

2017

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“…In addition, taking advantage of the growing ubiquity of information and communication technologies and alternative channels of publication on the African continent, as demonstrated by [61], would be beneficial for experts in urban planning in Africa to become more interested in studying the topic of UA and health and, in so doing, give equal importance to the positive and negative impacts of research on UA and health. The choice of increasingly contemporary formats and publication channels, such as instructional visual content and social networks, could be more and more adapted to reality [62]. With the increasing disruption of technological tools, such as smartphones and their applications, in Africa, African scientists can seize these means to increase their visibility in general and publish about UA and health [63].…”

Section: Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Two Decades of Architects’ and Urban Planners’ Contribution to Urban Agriculture and Health Research in Africa

Konou,

Kemajou Mbianda,

Munyaka

et al. 2023

Urban Science

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Urban agriculture (UA) is an ancient practice in Africa that meets social- and health-related needs. However, it is unclear whether architects and urban planners have incorporated the topic into their research and practices. This study aimed to assess the scientific contributions of these fields to UA and their relevance compared to other disciplines. The research objectives were to evaluate the trends in the subject, architects’ and planners’ involvement, and the effects of UA on health in Africa. As a method, a review was conducted using Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. The research query was (“urban agriculture” OR “urban farming”) AND Africa AND (“health” OR “global health” OR “urban health”), and the time frame considered was January 2000 to December 2020. Zotero, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Excel, and VOSviewer were used to collect and analyze metadata. After excluding duplicates, a total of n = 390 articles were involved. The results displayed the mixed health effects of UA, a growing interest in the topic with prominence on food security, and evidence from public health, not architecture and planning. The study recommends more theoretical research on UA by architects, which should be translated into policies and implementation.

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