Nosrat Riahinia, Farshid Danesh and Somayeh GhaviDel
Synergy indicators and social network analysis (SNA), as practical tools, provide the possibility of explaining the pattern of scientific collaboration and visualization of…
Abstract
Purpose
Synergy indicators and social network analysis (SNA), as practical tools, provide the possibility of explaining the pattern of scientific collaboration and visualization of network relations. Recognition of scientific capacities is the basis of synergy. The present study aims to measure and discover the synergistic networks of COVID-19’s top papers at the level of co-authorship, countries, journals, bibliographic couples and titles.
Design/methodology/approach
The synergy indicator, co-authorship co-citation network analysis methods were applied. The research population comprises COVID-19’s top papers indexed in Essential Science Indicator and Web of Science Core Collection 2020 and 2021. Excel 2016, UCINET 6.528.0.0 2017, NetDraw, Ravar Matrix, VOSviewer version 1.6.14 and Python 3.9.5 were applied to analyze the data and visualize the networks.
Findings
The findings indicate that considering the three possible possibilities for authors, countries and journals, more redundancy and information are created and potential for further cooperation is observed. The synergy of scientific collaboration has revealed that “Wang, Y,” “USA” and “Science of the Total Environment” have the most effective capabilities and results. “Guan (2020b)” and “Zhou (2020)” are bibliographic couplings that have received the most citations. The keywords “CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19)” were the most frequent in article titles.
Originality/value
In a circumstance that the world is suffering from a COVID-19 pandemic and all scientists are conducting various researches to discover vaccines, medicines and new treatment methods, scientometric studies, and analysis of social networks of COVID-19 publications to be able to specify the synergy rate and the scientific collaboration networks, are not only innovative and original but also of great importance and priority; SNA tools along with the synergy indicator is capable of visualizing the complicated and multifaceted pattern of scientific collaboration in COVID-19. As a result, analyses can help identify existing capacities and define a new space for using COVID-19 researchers’ capabilities.
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The purpose of this paper is to analyze citation behaviors of students in the LIS field among a variety of local universities in Tehran.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze citation behaviors of students in the LIS field among a variety of local universities in Tehran.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 259 MA dissertations in Library and Information Science submitted to five universities in Tehran during 2003‐2008 are examined. These universities were selected based on their location and the authors' accessibility to their university libraries. Overall, five out of nine universities in Iran which have Masters Courses in Library and Information Science were selected for this study. The data were gathered using a checklist by the author, who personally attended in university libraries and counted all dissertation references.
Findings
The study shows that students' citation behaviors are in favor of books, and Farsi e‐sources are lesser used by LIS students than English e‐sources. The total number of book citations is far more than total number of other formats. While this study could be useful in library acquisition decisions, it could also inform in areas related to issues students face in finding suitable pieces of information.
Practical implications
This study would be useful for educational and acquisition purposes in university libraries, since it examines citation behavior of students through a specific discipline.
Originality/value
The study deals with MA Library and Information Science dissertations among all universities of Tehran that teach LIS masters courses.
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Majid Aliasgari, Nosrat Riahinia and Fariba Mojdehavar
The purpose of this paper is to establish the effects of computer‐assisted instruction (CAI) on the attitude of students studying mathematics.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to establish the effects of computer‐assisted instruction (CAI) on the attitude of students studying mathematics.
Design/methodology/approach
CAI in mathematics, as an alternative to traditional instruction (TI), is investigated using a sample of students in Iran. The sample consists of second grade female students of maths/science in two high schools of Hashtgerd. The study is carried out over four weeks in May 2008. The effects of the independent variable (CAI) are studied in one high school while in a second high school in the region, a control group is used to measure the effects of TI.
Findings
The findings reveal that CAI increases the learning level of students and improves their attitudes toward mathematics compared with TI.
Research limitations/implications
The scope of the study is limited to a sample of students from two high schools in Iran. Thus, the results are indicative rather than conclusive. More work needs to be carried out involving a larger sample not confined to the Iranian setting to produce more conclusive findings.
Practical implications
New technologies and software featuring CAI should be implemented and used in the teaching process, especially for those courses which contain abstract concepts like mathematics. For example, simulated software could help teachers utilize simulated objects, concepts, and problem solving paths in a virtual environment.
Originality/value
The study adds to the literature on the utility of CAI and is original in that it is one of the few carried out in an Iranian setting.
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Fatemeh Zandian, Nosrat Riahinia, Ali Azimi and Nastaran Poursalehi
Online information vendors currently offer a variety of additional services; among these are alert services which present requested information on recent publications to…
Abstract
Purpose
Online information vendors currently offer a variety of additional services; among these are alert services which present requested information on recent publications to registered users. This paper aims to investigate a variety of alert services provided by four online information vendors.
Design/methodology/approach
A comparison of the alert services of major online information providers (Ebsco, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, and Scopus) used by the Central Library of Tarbiat Modares University in Iran was undertaken. These alert services were evaluated using a check‐list and their structure and service were compared with regard to the quantity and quality of received alerts. The subject area of library and information science was used for the study.
Findings
No relative significance was found between the total alerts' relevance and the size of the databases of journal articles. ProQuest was found to have a more reliable alert system and it provided more relevant alert results than the other services. Users should recognise that additional services, such as alert services, are a useful help to their information‐seeking behaviour. Library managers should regard alert services as an effective tool for current awareness purposes. However, careful attention should be given to the differences and structures of the services offered. Alert quantity does not necessarily mean good performance.
Originality/value
University libraries and information centres pay a lot of money annually to online information providers. Alert systems could reduce the time users spend seeking for information by providing quick access to new information. Therefore, performing a study to investigate the functionality of the alert systems seems appropriate.
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This paper aims to examine the use of the internet among the females of Tarbiat Moalem University (TMU) in Tehran. It further aims to consider their favourite sites, issues and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the use of the internet among the females of Tarbiat Moalem University (TMU) in Tehran. It further aims to consider their favourite sites, issues and their attitude toward using the internet in Iran.
Design/methodology/approach
The study was implemented through a descriptive survey methodology. A self‐designed questionnaire was distributed and 80 valid samples were collected. The population were all females affiliated to TMU including 21 academic staff, 40 masters and doctoral students and 19 staff members.
Findings
The study found that there is a significant relation between academic females' use of the internet and their social ranking. As social ranking increases the use of the internet grows. The findings also revealed that as users navigate more through the internet they would find more hidden threats and vague content.
Practical implications
Some suggestions provided by this study include providing suitable web pages for females according to their needs and culture; enhancing internet access especially from their homes; providing good information pertaining to internet security and proper use; and seeking to refine Iranian attitudes to international web pages.
Originality/value
The paper provides insight into a group of Iranian academic females' use of the internet. It will help researchers to achieve a closer view to such women's conditions and it is therefore of use to web developers who might design better content related to female interests especially in Iran.
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Nosrat Riahinia and Fatimah Zandian
This study seeks to examine the postgraduate students of two universities (Tarbiat Moallem and Tarbiat Modares) in Tehran to discover how they use online databases and general…
Abstract
Purpose
This study seeks to examine the postgraduate students of two universities (Tarbiat Moallem and Tarbiat Modares) in Tehran to discover how they use online databases and general search engines.
Design/methodology/approach
This study was carried out focusing on postgraduate students' use of online databases provided by information providers (IPs). A sample population was selected among some postgraduate students, as patrons of central libraries of two universities in Tehran. The study was performed by means of a questionnaire given to the participants. Initially, on the basis of a sample pre‐test multi‐choice questionnaire, four information providers were selected as information hosts that were well known to the sampled students. Afterwards, the main questionnaire was developed and distributed among participants. Both participating libraries had a separate e‐databases hall for postgraduate students, so, when coming to use the online computers to search the databases, students were asked to fill out the questionnaires according to their experiences on using online resources. The study was implemented during October to December 2006 and the sample population were those postgraduate students who used the central libraries' e‐resources in campus during the period.
Findings
The results show that 63.4 per cent of respondents use online databases, followed by search engines (24.3 per cent), and print materials (11.3 per cent). Participants ranked Google as the most favourable search engine. In a comparison to using databases versus search engines, 58.4 per cent of respondents stated that they use online databases for seeking scientific information, while 33.6 per cent use search engines.
Originality/value
The originality of this study lies in the fact that it reveals postgraduate students' evaluation of four online IPs that are well known to most of the students in this study.
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Nosrat Riahinia, Fatemeh Zandian and Ali Azimi
By studying a large number of citations in the LIS field, this paper seeks to examine carefully the persistence status of web resources specified by their domains and type of…
Abstract
Purpose
By studying a large number of citations in the LIS field, this paper seeks to examine carefully the persistence status of web resources specified by their domains and type of files.
Design/methodology/approach
All 2005‐2008 volumes of six LIS journals ranked by ISI Thomson Reuters were selected. From 1,181 papers, 37,791 citations were recorded. Only original articles, which had a list of references, were included in the study. The persistence of web citations was checked by directly following the cited URLs.
Findings
Of the 37,791 citations, 4,840 (12.8 percent) were web citations. The means per articles of web and print citations were 4.09, and 27.9, respectively. Of all web citations, 4,617 (95 percent) were readily persistent, and 5 percent returned errors and thus were not originally accessible. The relationship between the print and web citation over time (year) was significant. The most prevalent domain of citations was html and the most favorable and persistent file format was pdf.
Practical implications
The web resources are used for their easy accessibility and the support they provide for a scientific content. While direct accessibility to a web citation is not provided, many strategies are adopted to recover the dead citation. The issue is to what extent the authors rely on web resources and are they finished with citing paper‐based materials? Are web resources becoming replaced with their print counterparts? The study showed that scholars still rely more on print resources than on the web materials.
Originality/value
Tracking current trends in scholars' communication behavior shows a shift from print to web resources. The paper examines web citations persistence in some prestigious journals to show whether the web citations are reliable enough and always accessible in the digital world.