Abstract
Scholarly communication plays a significant role in the development and dissemination of research outputs in library and information science (LIS). This study presents findings from a survey which examines the key attributes that characterize the publishing by Pakistani LIS scholars, i.e. academics and professionals, in national journals. A pilot-tested, electronic questionnaire was used to collect the data from the target population. 104 respondents (or 69.3% of target) provided feedback on areas such as number of articles published, number of citations, and the nature of any collaboration with other authors. The findings of this survey revealed that, among the various designated regions of Pakistan, the Punjab region was the most highly represented. In articles published in national journals, there was a clear preference among all respondents to collaborate with at least one other author. The citation metrics for LIS articles in national journals were relatively low (30.22%), which aligns with Scimago’s Journal and Country Rankings. The uptake of social scholarly networks mirrors international trends. Respondents were asked to score factors which could impact negatively on their ability to undertake research and/or publish the results. The study recommends that concerned stakeholders work together, as appropriate, to address concerns. In addition, it recommends that further research be undertaken to define patterns of Pakistani co-authorship in the social sciences.
Highlights
The main purpose of this paper is to examine the key attributes of Pakistani library and information science (LIS) scholars’ research outputs, based on their contributions in national journals
The purpose of this study was to analyze the key attributes of articles published by Pakistani LIS scholars in national journals
Results show that male authors continue to dominate and the Punjab region continues to produce the highest percentage of LIS articles
Summary
According to the Association of Research Libraries, scholarly communication can be defined as “the system through which research and other scholarly writings are created, evaluated for quality, disseminated to the scholarly community, and preserved for future use. The system includes both formal means of communication, such as publication in peer-reviewed journals, and informal channels, such as electronic listservs” (ARL, n.d.). Through this process, academics, scholars, and researchers share and publish their research findings so that they are made available to the wider academic community and beyond. A number of Pakistani LIS research outputs are published in social science journals, i.e. other disciplines; these tend to be published in English. Mahmood (1996) has discussed in detail articles published by LIS scholars in foreign journals
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