A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE GRADUATE THESES ON “TOY”

Abstract

On the one hand, toy is considered as a miniaturized form of objects used by adult people, on the other hand, it refers to materials used as a game tool. However, while the tools used by adult people in their plays are accepted as play materials; the tools that children use while playing play function as toys. In this respect, the toy is the most important part of the child’s plays. For this reason, in this study, the materials used by children in their plays have been accepted as toys and the study has been conducted in this direction. In recent years, with the importance of the child in the tourism sector, child-friendly tourism and child-friendley hotels have been investigated in the tourism literature. Within the scope of this research, the literature review method has been used as a data collection tool and the scans have been conducted in the context of the words “toy”, “play material”, “play object” and “play tool”. By scanning, 100 master and doctoral theses in the database of the Council of Higher Education National Thesis Center and open to access have been reached, and these graduate theses have been subjected to bibliometric analysis. This analysis has been carried out in line with the data parameters specified for bibliometric analysis in the literature. The analysis process was carried out between 13 January and 27 January 2021, and the Excel file was used in the analysis. The findings obtained as a result of the analysis are presented in six stages in the study. According to the results obtained in line with the findings, the importance given to toys has increased with each passing year, toy has become a multidisciplinary study subject and has been subject to different study areas. However, despite the importance of children in tourism and the subject of toys in many different fields, it has been observed that the subject of toys has not yet been reflected in the graduate theses written in Tourism Management Departments. Therefore, this study is expected to be a guide for the tourism field.