94 research outputs found
Digital library education in Iran: perspectives of library & information science educators and academic librarians
No full textin addition, a high majority of LIS educators and academic librarians are in favour of a dedicated digital library education programme. This study provides the empirical data for the design and delivery of a dedicated programme or relevant courses on digital libraries at Iranian library schools, especially at the newly established LIS departments in Iran. Digital librarymanagement, digital preservation, digitization, digital library architecture, and metadata would be the key components in a digital library education programme. Research on digital library education has not been carried out before in Iran. As such, this paper may fill the research gap between theory and practice of Iranian digital librarianship, as well as facilitates LIS departments to design digital library programme and implement the courses in their curriculum
Mapping Middle-earth : Environmental and Political Narratives in J.R. R. Tolkien’s Cartographies (2024) by Anahit Behrooz
No full textThe force driving Anahit Behrooz’s Mapping Middle-earth is a desire todemonstrate that J. R. R. Tolkien’s work deserves to be taken (more) seriouslyin the field of literary studies. The author argues this case by relating maps,mapping, and cartography – within and outside the story world – to a handfulof critical perspectives that currently enjoy certain appeal both within themainstream and among fantasy scholars. And should the book fail to convincesome hobbitophobic critics out there, the fault does not seem to lie either withTolkien’s work or Behrooz discussions of it but with the fact that fantasy(including Tolkien) require more of its analytical tools than some mainstreamcritical perspectives offer when taken off the rack
The Policy Impact of Complex Systems Research: A Quantitative Analysis
No full text<h1><span>1<span> </span></span>Introduction</h1>
<p><span>Policy-making often deals with intricate issues that exhibit features of complex systems - interconnected components, non-linear dynamics, and emergent properties </span><span><span>[1, 2]</span></span><span>. Recognizing and approaching these issues through the lens of complex systems thinking holds the potential for more informed policy design </span><span><span>[3]</span></span><span>. In other words, understanding the intricate dynamics of complex systems is crucial for effective policymaking in different domains, from environmental management to public health and socioeconomic development. Complex systems theory offers a holistic framework that transcends traditional reductionist approaches </span><span><span>[4]</span></span><span>, allowing policymakers to grasp the underlying mechanisms driving system behavior and anticipate unintended consequences of policy interventions. For instance, in environmental management, policies aimed at mitigating climate change must contend with the complex interplay of various factors </span><span><span>[5]</span></span><span> such as greenhouse gas emissions, land use changes, and socio-economic dynamics. By embracing complexity science, policymakers can develop more resilient and adaptive strategies that account for the interconnectedness and feedback loops inherent in environmental systems. Similarly, in the realm of public health, the spread of infectious diseases often exhibits complex dynamics influenced by factors ranging from human behavior and social networks to environmental conditions and healthcare infrastructure </span><span><span>[6, 7]</span></span><span>. Policies aimed at containing disease outbreaks or promoting public health must navigate this intricate web of interactions, leveraging insights from complex systems research to design targeted interventions and anticipate the ripple effects of policy decisions. Moreover, in the context of socioeconomic development, complex systems thinking can inform policies aimed at addressing systemic inequalities, fostering economic resilience, and promoting sustainable growth </span><span><span>[8, 9]</span></span><span>. By understanding the underlying dynamics of socio-economic systems, policymakers can identify leverage points for intervention and design policies that promote inclusive development while minimizing unintended consequences such as social unrest or ecological degradation. Incorporating insights from research on complex systems into policy-making processes holds the promise of more effective and adaptive governance in an increasingly interconnected and unpredictable world </span><span><span>[10]</span></span><span>. By embracing complexity science, policymakers can transcend reductionist approaches and develop policies that are better attuned to the multifaceted nature of the challenges facing society. Moreover, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders can enhance the co-production of knowledge and facilitate the translation of complex systems theory into actionable policy solutions. Ultimately, the desired outcomes and interventions that policymakers aim to implement are formally articulated and documented within the policy documents. Policy documents, encompassing government regulations, guidelines, think tank reports, and working papers, play a crucial role in shaping the implementation and direction of diverse initiatives </span><span><span>[11]</span></span><span>. They serve as official communication channels for outlining specific rules, procedures, and expectations intended to guide various stakeholders. By analyzing citations within these documents, we gain valuable insights into the sources of information and research that inform policy decisions. In this context, identifying citations of complex systems research in policy documents allows us to assess the extent to which this field of study contributes to the foundation of policy frameworks. Ultimately, understanding the types and sources of policy documents citing complex systems research sheds light on the areas of policy-making most receptive to this approach and the organizations driving its integration </span><span><span>[12]</span></span><span>. This research investigates the utilization of complex systems research in policy-making, specifically focusing on the extent, areas, types, and organizational sources of such usage. It aims to elucidate the extent to which publications on complex systems are cited in policy documents, the specific research areas within which these citations occur, the types of policy documents citing such publications, and the diverse array of organizations or institutions engaging with this scholarly literature in the realm of policy formulation.</span></p>
<h1><span>2<span> </span></span>Methodology</h1>
<p><span>To address the research questions, the current study adopted an Altmetrics approach. Beyond traditional citation metrics, researchers and institutions are increasingly utilizing altmetrics to gauge the broader reach and potential influence of their scientific contributions. These alternative metrics capture various forms of online engagement, offering a more comprehensive picture of a research product's impact beyond the academic sphere </span><span><span>[12, 13]</span></span><span>. Initially, the Web of Science Core Collection (including Science Citation Index Expanded, Social Sciences Citation Index, Arts & Humanities Citation, Emerging Sources Citation Index, Conference Proceedings Citation Index – Science, Conference Proceedings Citation Index - Social Sciences & Humanities, Book Citation Index– Science, and Book Citation Index– Social Sciences & Humanities) was utilized to identify pertinent publications related to "complex systems." A targeted search query, encompassing titles, author keywords, and keyword plus fields, on 23 March, 2024 was employed: </span></p>
<p><em><span>TI=("Complex system" OR “Multidimensional Scaling” OR “Correspondence Analysis”) OR AK=("Complex system" OR “Multidimensional Scaling” OR “Correspondence Analysis”) OR KP=("Complex system" OR “Multidimensional Scaling” OR “Correspondence Analysis”)</span></em></p>
<p><span>This query yielded a dataset comprising 12042 relevant records, serving as the foundation for subsequent analysis. Subsequently, publications within this dataset that possess a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) were subjected to further scrutiny using PlumX. PlumX facilitates the exploration of alternative metrics, particularly citations within policy documents. By cross-referencing publications with DOI identifiers, the study identified instances where scholarly works on complex systems are cited in policy documents. From the retrieved records, 9498 records had a DOI identifier and were selected for further analysis. </span><span>Exploring DOIs on Altmetric.com platform and extracting data were the next steps</span><span>.</span></p>
<p><span>Altmetric.com goes beyond traditional citation metrics by including a unique category called "policy citations." This metric tracks how many times a research article (or other scholarly work) is mentioned or referenced in official policy documents. </span><span>The collected data on publication characteristics (e.g., publication year, journal) and policy citations were collected in an MS Excel file and analyzed using descriptive statistics to address the research questions. This analysis involved calculating measures like frequency distributions and percentages to understand the extent of policy citations for publications on complex systems. </span></p>
<p><span>Following the identification of cited publications within policy documents, the analysis unfolds across several dimensions. Firstly, the number of publications cited in policy documents is quantified, providing quantitative insights into the prevalence and dissemination of complex systems research within policy contexts.</span></p>
<h1><span>3<span> </span></span>Limitations</h1>
<p><span>The study relies on keyword-based search strategies, which may not capture all relevant publications or policy documents.</span></p>
<p><span>Analyzing citations alone might not fully capture the true impact of complex systems research on policy-making processes.</span></p>
<p><span>The study focuses on a single database and might not capture the full scope of policy documents across different regions or languages.</span></p>
<h1><span>4<span> </span></span>References</h1>
<p>[1]<span> </span>P. Cairney, "Complexity Theory in Political Science and Public Policy," <em>Political Studies Review, </em>vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 346-358, 2012/09/01 2012, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1478-9302.2012.00270.x">https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1478-9302.2012.00270.x</a>.</p>
<p>[2]<span> </span>M. M. Atkinson and W. D. Coleman, "Policy Networks, Policy Communities and the Problems of Governance," <em>Governance, </em>vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 154-180, 1992/04/01 1992, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0491.1992.tb00034.x">https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0491.1992.tb00034.x</a>.</p>
<p>[3]<span> </span>P. H. Jones, "Systemic Design Principles for Complex Social Systems," in <em>Social Systems and Design</em>, G. S. Metcalf Ed. Tokyo: Springer Japan, 2014, pp. 91-128.</p>
<p>[4]<span> </span>F. Popa, M. Guillermin, and T. Dedeurwaerdere, "A pragmatist approach to transdisciplinarity in sustainability research: From complex systems theory to reflexive science," <em>Futures, </em>vol. 65, pp. 45-56, 2015/01/01/ 2015, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2014.02.002">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2014.02.002</a>.</p>
<p>[5]<span> </span>X. Bai, R. R. J. McAllister, R. M. Beaty, and B. Taylor, "Urban policy and governance in a global environment: complex systems, scale mismatches and public participation," <em>Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, </em>vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 129-135, 2010/08/01/ 2010, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2010.05.008">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2010.05.008</a>.</p>
<p>[6]<span> </span>L. N. Susan<em> et al.</em>, "Complex health interventions in complex systems: improving the process and methods for evidence-informed health decisions," <em>BMJ Global Health, </em>vol. 4, no. Suppl 1, p. e000963, 2019, doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2018-000963.</p>
<p>[7]<span> </span>R. L. Grant and R. Hood, "Complex systems, explanation and policy: implications of the crisis of replication for public health research," <em>Critical Public Health, </em>vol. 27, no. 5, pp. 525-532, 2017/10/20 2017, doi: 10.1080/09581596.2017.1282603.</p>
<p>[8]<span> </span>A. L. Mudd, M. Bal, S. E. Verra, M. P. Poelman, J. de Wit, and C. B. M. Kamphuis, "The current state of complex systems research on socioeconomic inequalities in health and health behavior—a systematic scoping review," <em>International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, </em>vol. 21, no. 1, p. 13, 2024/02/05 2024, doi: 10.1186/s12966-024-01562-1.</p>
<p>[9]<span> </span>D. Helbing, S. Balietti, S. Bishop, and P. Lukowicz, "Understanding, creating, and managing complex techno-socio-economic systems: Challenges and perspectives," <em>The European Physical Journal Special Topics, </em>vol. 195, no. 1, pp. 165-186, 2011/05/01 2011, doi: 10.1140/epjst/e2011-01410-7.</p>
<p>[10]<span> </span>K. Akamani, E. J. Holzmueller, and J. W. Groninger, "Managing Wicked Environmental Problems as Complex Social-Ecological Systems: The Promise of Adaptive Governance," in <em>Landscape Dynamics, Soils and Hydrological Processes in Varied Climates</em>, A. M. Melesse and W. Abtew Eds. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2016, pp. 741-762.</p>
<p>[11]<span> </span>H. Pinheiro, E. Vignola-Gagné, and D. Campbell, "A large-scale validation of the relationship between cross-disciplinary research and its uptake in policy-related documents, using the novel Overton altmetrics database," <em>Quantitative Science Studies, </em>vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 616-642, 2021, doi: 10.1162/qss_a_00137.</p>
<p>[12]<span> </span>Y. Houqiang, C. Xueting, X. Tingting, and Y. Zhenyi, "How accurate are policy document mentions? A first look at the role of altmetrics database," <em>Scientometrics, </em>vol. 125, no. 2, pp. 1517-1540, 2020, doi: 10.1007/s11192-020-03558-.</p>
<p>[13]<span> </span>R. Haunschild and L. Bornmann, "How many scientific papers are mentioned in policy-related documents? An empirical investigation using Web of Science and Altmetric data," <em>Scientometrics, </em>vol. 110, no. 3, pp. 1209-1216, 2017/03/01 2017, doi: 10.1007/s11192-016-2237-2.</p>
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Research and Researchers Visibility
No full text
Research visibility (RV) is crucial for all research and researchers. Increasing your RV enables you to make your research and your activities more impactful. Increasing RV can increase citations to your works. Through these slides, you will find rationales and techniques for increasing RV.</p
Are electronic theses and dissertations (still) grey literature in a digital age? A FAIR debate
No full textInternational audiencePurpose-While distribution channels of theses and dissertations have changed significantly in the digital age, they are generally still considered grey literature. This paper aims to argue the applicability of the concept of grey to electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs). Design/methodology/approach-The paper is presented as a debate between two contradictory opinions on the application of the grey literature concept to ETDs. Findings-The paper provides a definition of grey literature and then discusses its application to electronic dissertations and theses. In particular, it assesses the aspects of acquisition, quality, access and preservation. Some arguments highlight the "grey nature" of ETDs, such as the limited access via institutional and other repositories. Other arguments (e.g. the development of ETD infrastructures and the quality of ETDs) question this grey approach to ETDs. The paper concludes that "greyness" remains a challenge for ETDs, a problem waiting for solution on the way to open science through the application of the FAIR (findability, accessibility, interoperability reusability) principles. Research limitations implications-Library and information science (LIS) professionals and scientists should be careful about using the concept of grey literature. The debate will help academic librarians and LIS researchers to better understand the nature of grey literature and its coverage, here in the field of ETDs. Originality/value-Some definitions from the print age may not be applicable to the digital age. The contradictory character of the debate helps clarify the similitudes and differences of grey literature and ETDs and highlights the challenge of ETDs, in particular, their accessibility and findability
Author Correction: A comparative study of the local effect of tranexamic acid and phenylephrine on the amount of bleeding in rhinoplasty: A randomized clinical trial
No full textAfter the publication of the article titled “A Comparative Study of the Local Effect of Tranexamic Acid and Phenylephrine on the Amount of Bleeding in Rhinoplasty: A Randomized Clinical Trial”, it was noticed that the name of Behrooz Gandomi had been omitted from the list of contributors. The authors’ names and affiliations have now been corrected accordingly.
The Original Article was published on 7 Sep 2024.
Published: 20 Oct 202
Mapping Middle-earth [Elektronisk resurs] : Environmental and Political Narratives in J.R. R. Tolkien’s Cartographies (2024) by Anahit Behrooz
No full textThe force driving Anahit Behrooz’s Mapping Middle-earth is a desire todemonstrate that J. R. R. Tolkien’s work deserves to be taken (more) seriouslyin the field of literary studies. The author argues this case by relating maps,mapping, and cartography – within and outside the story world – to a handfulof critical perspectives that currently enjoy certain appeal both within themainstream and among fantasy scholars. And should the book fail to convincesome hobbitophobic critics out there, the fault does not seem to lie either withTolkien’s work or Behrooz discussions of it but with the fact that fantasy(including Tolkien) require more of its analytical tools than some mainstreamcritical perspectives offer when taken off the rack.</p
The Role of Scientific Language in Citation Count and Altmetric Score of Academic Publications
Full text linkObjective: Writing in plain language is recommended in all communities, including the academic community, and researchers are consistently encouraged to write their research findings and papers in a simple manner. One principle of plain language is the use of simple vocabulary. In other words, researchers are encouraged to use fewer technical terms and jargon in their writing and instead opt for simple and understandable words. However, it is unclear whether plain language can lead to increased impact of research papers. This study aimed to answer this question by examining a selection of articles from the journal 'Applied Linguistics.' The primary objective of this research was to understand the role of scientific language in the number of citations and Altmetric scores of research articles in the 'Applied Linguistics' journal.
Method: This research was conducted in two key steps: (1) content analysis of scientific articles to determine the extent of the use of technical terms and jargon, and (2) extracting data related to the impact of scientific articles, such as the number of citations and Altmetric scores, and comparing this data with the extent of the use of technical terms and jargon. Articles from the 'Applied Linguistics' journal were selected both purposefully and randomly. The software 'MAXQDA' was used to identify the number of difficult words, and the 'Dimensions' platform was used to identify the impact of these articles.
Results: The findings showed that the highest proportion of difficult words in the examined articles was 1.76%, and the lowest was 0.15%. In other words, in the most difficult article (among the research sample), there were nearly 18 difficult words per thousand words. On the other hand, the average field-weighted citation rate for the selected articles was around 24. Statistical tests showed a negative correlation between the use of difficult words in articles and the number of citations/Altmetric scores, but this relationship was not statistically significant, and therefore the research hypotheses could not be confirmed.
Conclusions: This research indicated that there is no significant correlation between plain language and the impact and attention given to academic works. Therefore, it cannot be claimed that the simpler academic texts are, the more attention they receive. However, one reason for the lack of this relationship could be the citation behavior of researchers, which can be influenced by many variables. Although the relationship between plain language and the impact of scientific works is not significant, this should not discourage researchers from writing simply, as it is certain that simpler texts are easier to understand and have a wider audience than more difficult ones
The Role of Scientific Language in Citation Count and Altmetric Score of Academic Publications
Full text linkObjective: Writing in plain language is recommended in all communities, including the academic community, and researchers are consistently encouraged to write their research findings and papers in a simple manner. One principle of plain language is the use of simple vocabulary. In other words, researchers are encouraged to use fewer technical terms and jargon in their writing and instead opt for simple and understandable words. However, it is unclear whether plain language can lead to increased impact of research papers. This study aimed to answer this question by examining a selection of articles from the journal 'Applied Linguistics.' The primary objective of this research was to understand the role of scientific language in the number of citations and Altmetric scores of research articles in the 'Applied Linguistics' journal.
Method: This research was conducted in two key steps: (1) content analysis of scientific articles to determine the extent of the use of technical terms and jargon, and (2) extracting data related to the impact of scientific articles, such as the number of citations and Altmetric scores, and comparing this data with the extent of the use of technical terms and jargon. Articles from the 'Applied Linguistics' journal were selected both purposefully and randomly. The software 'MAXQDA' was used to identify the number of difficult words, and the 'Dimensions' platform was used to identify the impact of these articles.
Results: The findings showed that the highest proportion of difficult words in the examined articles was 1.76%, and the lowest was 0.15%. In other words, in the most difficult article (among the research sample), there were nearly 18 difficult words per thousand words. On the other hand, the average field-weighted citation rate for the selected articles was around 24. Statistical tests showed a negative correlation between the use of difficult words in articles and the number of citations/Altmetric scores, but this relationship was not statistically significant, and therefore the research hypotheses could not be confirmed.
Conclusions: This research indicated that there is no significant correlation between plain language and the impact and attention given to academic works. Therefore, it cannot be claimed that the simpler academic texts are, the more attention they receive. However, one reason for the lack of this relationship could be the citation behavior of researchers, which can be influenced by many variables. Although the relationship between plain language and the impact of scientific works is not significant, this should not discourage researchers from writing simply, as it is certain that simpler texts are easier to understand and have a wider audience than more difficult ones
EDT programs after two decades: exploring impact
No full textInternational audienceObjective: Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) programs have been recognized as a relatively new and effective channel through which information resources can be made available to academics and beyond. This study aims to provide empirical evidence of the impact of ETD programs in the scientific communities. Method: Records containing citations to theses and dissertations (TDs) in Scopus database from 1970 to 2017 are retrieved through a structured query. Trends of the citations of TDs in academic literature in different subject areas are examined. In additions, online search of a random sample of citation records on Google Scholar and BASE provided more insight of the impact of ETD programs, with a focus on open access. Findings: According to the Scopus database, there is an obvious increasing trend in citing TDs in academic literature. In all four broad subject areas, there is an increasing trend in citing TDs, in particular from 1996 onward. The analysis of the random sample and the survey provide complementary elements for a better understanding of this trend, of the role of ETD programs and of the impact of accessibility via institutional repositories
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