Pakistani LIS scholars’ altmetrics in ResearchGate

Abstract

Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to analyse the research performance of Pakistani library and information science (LIS) scholars, using the altmetrics provided by ResearchGate. Design/methodology/approach-Purposive sampling was used to collect profiles between 15 January 2015 and 30 April 2016 of all members of ResearchGate who had self-identified as an LIS scholar of Pakistani nationality. Additional demographic data was obtained through a small survey administered via Google Docs. Resultant data was analysed in SPSS version 21. Findings-Study results were broadly consistent in terms of demographical data with previous studies of this cohort. There was a positive correlation between publications, reads and citations for scholars who had recorded at least one publication. The majority of publications had not been published in a high impact factor journal. Academic networking site profiles create the potential for collaboration, building connections, and exchanging information. Research limitations/implications-Some scholars eliminated from this study may have published at least one output but neglected to upload details to ResearchGate. It is a purposive, exploratory study that provides insights into future research. Practical implications-The paper produces findings of relevance to researchers in other countries and / or disciplines who may wish to conduct a similar study of a defined cohort. Originality/value-There have been no previous published research studies on altmetrics associated with Pakistani LIS scholars.

Library and information science research in Pakistan: A bibliometric analysis, 1957–2018

“…Altmetrics stands for alternative metrics, which measure the impact of publications through their usage, number of mentions, downloads, number of reads, tweets and other usage in social media tools and websites. In a recent article, Ali and Richardson (2017) analysed the research performance of Pakistani LIS professionals through ResearchGate altmetrics. They carried out another bibliometric study which was limited to articles published by LIS professionals in national LIS and other social science research journals (Ali and Richardson, 2016).…”

Usage of academic social networking sites by Karachi social science faculty

“…Table 1 shows that 41 (60.29%) scholars were male and 21 (39.71%) were female. This distribution represents a higher proportion of women than that of Ali and Richardson’s (2017) survey of Pakistani library and information professionals who were members of ResearchGate, in which male = 73.08% and female = 26.92%.…”

“…The purpose of the study was to explore the usage of ASNS among social science faculty members from five public sector universities in Karachi, Pakistan. It was not intended to be an exhaustive study but rather an exploratory one, designed to supplement research recently undertaken by the authors (Ali and Richardson, 2017) regarding the use of ResearchGate among a selected professional cohort within Pakistan and to identify potential implications for current library services. Results are also intended to form the basis for a future, in-depth study.…”

“…Following a method similar to that used by Ali and Richardson (2017) in their study of ResearchGate, this study has used the purposive sampling technique. According to Tashakkori and Teddlie (2003: 713), this method selects a target group ‘based on a specific purpose rather than randomly’.…”

“…In 2016 Sheikh (2016) surveyed faculty within the COMSATS Institute of Information Technology at Islamabad regarding their use of ASNS and concluded with 3 brief recommendations for libraries; the study included Zotero and LinkedIn (the latter being the most heavily used by that cohort), which are generally regarded as having a different primary focus from the ASNS discussed by the authors in the literature review above. In a recent survey, the authors (Ali and Richardson, 2017) have analysed the profiles of Pakistani LIS scholars who are members of ResearchGate.…”