Research productivity and citation patterns of librarians in Tanzania: A scientometric analysis

Edda Tandi Lwoga (PhD)

Senior Librarian,Muhimbili University of

Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Tanzania

Alfred Said Sife (PhD)

Senior Librarian,Sokoine University of

Agriculture (SUA), Tanzania

Motivation, problem area

Scientometrics

Research Objectives

• To determine publication & citation patterns of librarians

• To identify highly cited papers and track their citation life cycle

•To determine the authorship pattern among librarians

•To determine the productivity of individual authors

• To determine publication & citation patterns of librarians

• To identify highly cited papers and track their citation life cycle

•To determine the authorship pattern among librarians

•To determine the productivity of individual authors

Research approach, Methodology

Research approach, Methodology

Retrieved statistics includeRetrieved statistics include

Study results

51 2 1

75

10

46

3 4 5 48

5

11

24

1821

14

33

20 2024

43

22

34

2426

30

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Year-wise Distribution of Publications

Total number of publications - 434 Average per year - 14.5High number of publications - 2008 (n=43) - 2010 (n=34)

- About 43% of the publications were single-authored- Degree of collaboration was 0.57 - About 43% of the publications were single-authored- Degree of collaboration was 0.57

186

135

5844

740

50

100

150

200Single Authors

Two Authors

Three Authors

Four Authors

Five Authors

Six or more Authors

Authorship Pattern of Publications

Rank-list of most productive authors

Number of publications per authorThe top ten ranked librarians contributed more than half (53.2%) of all publications

Number of publications per authorThe top ten ranked librarians contributed more than half (53.2%) of all publications

41

2136

23

2215

1719

13

18

16

17

05

1015202530354045E.T. Lwoga

A.S. Sife

J. Nawe

F.W. Dulle

E. Kiondo

M.J.F. Lwehabura

D.S. Matovelo

P. A. Manda

F. Mukangara

A.A.S. Mcharazo

W.L. Chilimo

J. Msuya1. Lwoga2. Nawe3. Dulle4. Kiondo5. Sife

Number of citations per author

Ranking

1. Lwoga2. Sife3. Nawe4. Dulle5. Kiondo

202

144128

99 98 9677 70

49 36 29 30

0

50

100

150

200

250

Average papers per author

Ranking

1. Nawe2. Lwoga3. Manda4. Kiondo5. Msuya

22.33

11.17

30.08

12.8314.54

8.927.25

16.5

7.5

13.32

7.92

13.83

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Average citations per year

1. Lwoga2. Sife3. Dulle4. Lwehabura5. Matovelo

18.36

14.4

4.276.19

4.085.65 5.13

2.33 2.04 1.82.9

1.25

02468

101214161820

H-Index & G-Index

H-Index1. Lwoga,

Dulle2. Kiondo,

Lwehabura3. Nawe

Mcharazo

G- Index1. Lwoga2. Sife3. Nawe,

DulleLwehabura

H-index

05

1015

E.T. L

woga

A.S.

Sife

J. Naw

eF.W

. Dul

le E.

Kion

doM

.J.F.

Lweh

abur

aD.

S. M

atov

elo

P. A.

Man

da

F. M

ukan

gara

A.A.

S. M

char

azo

W.L.

Chilim

o

J. Msu

ya

H-index

G-index

H-index – measures the number of publications and the number of citations per publications, whereby the most highly cited articles contribute to the h-index

G- index - measures the distribution of citations received by a given researcher's publication

Overall ranking of the most productive authors

1. Lwoga2. Sife3. Nawe4. Dulle

Kiondo5. Lwehabura

12

34 4

56

78 8

910

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Journal preference of researchers

• University of Dar es Salaam Library Journal was the only Tanzanian journal with a substantial number of articles (n=75)

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

University of Dar es Salaam Library Journal

Information Development

International Journal of Education and Development …

International Journal of Computing Research

Tanzania Journal of Forest and Nature Conservation

INDILINGA: African Journal of Indigenous Knowledge …

Information Technology Development

Journal of Librarianship and Information Science

Mousaion

7517

1412

106

544

3333

2233

Discussion of major findings

Conclusions & Recommendations

• Scientometrics studies are important in informing LIS education, curriculum development, research and management of library services

• Recommendations – Many factors should be considered in combination when evaluating

the research performance of librarians and other scholars; should not consider the number of publications alone

– Publish in journals that are widely visible (e-journals & open access)– Increase level of teamwork in research & publication– Encourage mentorship between senior & junior library staff– Encourage students to publish with members of academic staff– Establish Tanzanian online journals in library science– Put more emphasis on teaching bibliometrics/scientometrics in LIS

schools because few studies have been conducted in Tanzania – Libraries should conduct bibliometrics/scientometrics of their

institutions

Study limitations

• The paper only focused on online publications that were retrieved by PoP through Google Scholar

• Papers that were published between 1984 and 2013

Thank you for your attention!

Dr Alfred Said Sife(sifesas@yahoo.com)Dr Edda Tandi Lwoga(tlwoga@ gmail.com)