Swanepoel, A. 2010. What 37000 Citations Can Tell. QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN LIBRARIES: THEORY AND APPLICATIONS: 414-423

[Eugene Garfield]

Swanepoel, A. 2010. What 37000 Citations Can Tell. QUALITATIVE AND 
QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN LIBRARIES: THEORY AND APPLICATIONS: 414-423.

edited by Katsirikou, A; Skiadas, CH.
presented at International Conference on Qualitative and Quantitative Methods 
in Libraries in Chania, GREECE, MAY 26-29, 2009.

Author Full Name(s): Swanepoel, Adriaan
Language: English
Document Type: Proceedings Paper

Abstract: A longitudinal study at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) 
used citation analysis to analyze the reference lists of 480 master's and 
doctoral (M and D) theses and dissertations submitted at TUT between 2004 
and 2007. The purpose was to determine what types of information sources M 
and D students at TUT use most, how the patterns of use differ across the 
seven faculties of the university, and to what extent the Library and 
Information Services (LIS) keeps or provides access to the journals that are 
mostly used by M and D students. More than 37 000 citations were analyzed 
over the four-year period. The study found several similarities but also some 
distinct differences in the use of information sources across the seven faculties 
of TUT. It also identified more than 60 different information sources used by M 
and D students. With regard to journal use, the study found that out of 3 641 
different journals cited, most journals were only cited once over a period of 
four years. However, a small percentage of journals were highly and/or 
frequently cited. Keywords: Citation analysis; Theses and dissertations.

Addresses: [Swanepoel, Adriaan] Tshwane Univ Technol, Pretoria, South Africa

E-mail Address: Swanepoelaj at tut.ac.za

ISBN: 978-981-4299-69-5