Journal of Knowledge Studies: 4 (30)

Open Access Article

1 - In-person services and users’ satisfaction: The case of Agricultural Scientific Information and Documentation Center
javad bashiri abas gilvari Tayyebeh Shahmirzadi Fardin Koulaian

Purpose: This research aims to study users’ satisfaction of in-person services in Agricultural Scientific Information and Documentation Center (ASIDC). Awareness of user's issues about information services, technical equipments, printing and electronic information More

Purpose: This research aims to study users’ satisfaction of in-person services in Agricultural Scientific Information and Documentation Center (ASIDC). Awareness of user's issues about information services, technical equipments, printing and electronic information resources and librarians behaviors are the others aims of the research. Methodology: The Databases Searching methods, References and Acquisition Desk Services in this research were surveyed. The study was implemented through a descriptive survey. Research data were collected from 287 questionnaires and analyzed by SPSS. Findings: Among the presence services of ASIDC, the study of scientific resources with 35.9%; and research with 31.3% were the main reason for using the information and the newspaper and email with 07% were less reason. The search strategy service in databases with 41.5% used the most and other services (final research reports and thesis section) with 2.43% were the less. Among the scientific resources the book with 55.4% has most use and audio visual resources with.07% have the less. Conclusion: Users were most satisfied with 93.2% for search service in databases and less were 71.4% for (final research reports and thesis section). In general, 82.2% of users were satisfied with the information services provided in ASIDC. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

2 - Cost–benefit analysis of databases in Mohaghegh Ardabili University in 2009
Aliakbar Poorahmad Hadi Sharif Moghaddam Effat Bonyadi

Purpose: To analyze the cost-benefit of databases of Mohaghegh Ardabili University in 2009. Methodology: It is an applied and survey research. Statistical population is databases ScienceDirect, Taylor and Francis, and Sage. Statistical reports provided by the server More

Purpose: To analyze the cost-benefit of databases of Mohaghegh Ardabili University in 2009. Methodology: It is an applied and survey research. Statistical population is databases ScienceDirect, Taylor and Francis, and Sage. Statistical reports provided by the server were used to collect the required data. And, the two methods namely use frequency and cost-benefit analysis, as two scientific methods in evaluating electronic resources, have been used. Findings: The frequency of the rate of use on the basis of indexes including the number of downloading the papers with HTML and PDF formats and abstracts in different databases were of significant differences, so that among the three databases, ScienceDirect and Taylor and Francis had the lowest rate of use. Conclusion: Due to the costs provided for subscribing the databases, the three databases “ScienceDirect”, “Sage” and “Taylor and Francis” had been the cheapest, relatively expensive, and the most expensive databases, respectively.   Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

3 - Analysis of macro processes of supply chain management of Persian books in libraries of Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services
Nadjla Hariri Mina Esmaeili Golsefid

Purpose: To analyze macro processes of supply chain management of Persian books in libraries of Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services. Methodology: The research method was analytical survey. Data were gathered using 3 questionnaires 'Customer Relati More

Purpose: To analyze macro processes of supply chain management of Persian books in libraries of Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services. Methodology: The research method was analytical survey. Data were gathered using 3 questionnaires 'Customer Relationship Management', 'Internal Supply Chain Management', and 'Library Information Sources Suppliers Relationship Management'. Research Population consisted of 375 users, 10 publishers and 12 librarians. The statistical test used for data analysis was T-Test. Findings: The Customer Relationship Management Process with Mean 2/12, P-value <0/001 was lower than average level. The internal supply chain management process with Mean 3/33, P-value= 0/013, and the supplier relationship management process with Mean 3/34, P-value = 0/005 were higher than average level. Conclusion: The biggest problems in supply chain unity from libraries’ viewpoint were centralization on purchasing information resources through book fair and from publishers’ view, lack of relationship with libraries, postal and communication barriers, and delay in on time awareness of the libraries from the information about the last publications.   Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

4 - A study of information flow in the research centers affiliated to the Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education
Ali Sadeghzadeh Vayghan Mohammad Hassanzadeh

Purpose: This study aims to identify the status of the input, processing and output of information flow in the research centers affiliated to the Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education and recognize the influencing factors and technical obstacles which mak More

Purpose: This study aims to identify the status of the input, processing and output of information flow in the research centers affiliated to the Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education and recognize the influencing factors and technical obstacles which make significant decrease in information flow. Methodology: The research is an applied research and survey method was used. The population consisted of research assistants, managers of affiliated research centers, heads of academic library administrators and faculty members in 62 research centers affiliated to the Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education. The data collection tool was a questionnaire. After confirming its validity and reliability, 306 questionnaires were distributed between researchers. Finally, 222 (72/55%) of the questionnaires were returned. Findings: The overall status of information flow in the research centers, in the "collection and use" stage was appropriate and in the "production and storage", and the "dissemination" stages were inappropriate. In the "collection and use" stage, electronic forms were used more than printed formats and in the "production and storage" and the "dissemination" stages, printed forms were used more than electronic forms. Conclusion: The results of the study may be helpful to the managers of research centers in planning to improve the national and international information flow, use of information, skilled manpower and funds to support research. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

5 - Iranian universities and research institutions in the ResearchGate: An altmetric study
Mohammadamin Erfanmanesh Amirreza Asnafi homa arshadi

Purpose: The present study investigates the presence and function of Iranian universities and research institutions in the ResearchGate, an academic social networking website. Methodology:ResearchGate was used for data collection. Among the 428 Iranian universities and More

Purpose: The present study investigates the presence and function of Iranian universities and research institutions in the ResearchGate, an academic social networking website. Methodology:ResearchGate was used for data collection. Among the 428 Iranian universities and research institutions which have profiles in ResearchGate, the top 30 institutions were investigated according to six measures including R.G. Score, total impact points, number of members, number of documents, number of views and number of downloads. Findings: With regards to all six measures together, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran University, Tarbiat Modarres University, Amirkabir University of Technology, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, and Sharif University of Technology are the most active Iranian universities in the ResearchGate. Conclusion: The results of running a Pearson's correlation test revealed statistically significant but weak positive relationships between total number of citation of each institution in the WoS and total number of views and downloads of the same institution in the ResearchGate. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

6 - Gap analysis of services quality in Razi University Libraries
Afrooz Azimi Vaziri Aliakbar Famil Rouhany Mahmoud Moradi

Purpose: The main purpose of this paper was quality analysis of services provided by the Razi University Libraries based on gap analysis model. Methodology: This research used the survey method for collecting data. LibQual questionnaire was used to collect needed data. More

Purpose: The main purpose of this paper was quality analysis of services provided by the Razi University Libraries based on gap analysis model. Methodology: This research used the survey method for collecting data. LibQual questionnaire was used to collect needed data. The statistical society included 9000 users of the Razi University Libraries. The sampling method was stratified random sampling. According to Krejcie and Morgan, the sample size was determined 358 users. Statistical analysis used in this study was descriptive and inferential statistics by SPSS-18 software. Findings: The average of minimum acceptable service of users on the impact of library services is more than other two dimensions. Also, on the best level of expected service, the users had the highest expectations of the impact of library services. The services adequacy gap was in dimensions of the "library as place" and "information control", respectively, -/724 and -/376 which were both negative. About services superiority gap, the Razi University Libraries failed to reach the expected level of users in none of the dimensions. Therefore, in all three LibQual, services superiority gap was negative and the greatest gaps were respectively: The information control (-99/1), impact of library services (-46/1), and library as place (-34/1). Conclusion: The results of this research indicate that the total mean of library services in terms of the services adequacy gap was positive. This means that the Razi University Libraries have been able to meet the minimum expectations of their users, but the services superiority gap was negative.     Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

7 - The impact of personality characteristics of students on their information seeking behavior
Faezeh Farhoodi

Purpose: The aim of this research was to determine the effect of personality characteristics of MA students in Knowledge and Information Science on two factor of information seeking behavior (Seeking the hours per week and use of channels of access to information). Met More

Purpose: The aim of this research was to determine the effect of personality characteristics of MA students in Knowledge and Information Science on two factor of information seeking behavior (Seeking the hours per week and use of channels of access to information). Methodology: This research was an applied research and method of this research was analytical survey using correlation. NEO-personality inventory-revised has been used that investigates the students in 5 factors (Extraversion / Neuroticism / Openness to experience / Agreeableness / Conscientiousness). For identifying the student’s information seeking another separated questionnaire has been used. The reliability of these two questionnaire items with Cronbach's alpha was 75% and 80%. The population included 60 MA students of Islamic Azad University (Sciences and Research Branch). To analyze the data, some related statistical methods were utilized. Findings: There is negative and significant relationship between Neuroticism and Seeking the hours per week (r= -0/003). There is positive and significant relationship between Extraversion and Seeking the hours per week (r= 0/541). There are relationship between Openness to experience and Seeking the hours per week (r= 0/258) and between Agreeableness and Seeking the hours per week (r= 0/275). There isn’t any significant relationship between Conscientiousness and Seeking the hours per week (r= 0/092). The other findings show that there is negative and significant relationship between Neuroticism and use of Channels of access to information (r= -0/001) and there is positive and significant relationship between Extraversion and use of Channels of access to information (r=0/483). There are relationship between Openness to experience and use of Channels of access to information (r= 0/218) and between Agreeableness and use of Channels of access to information (r= 0/247). There isn’t any significant relationship between Conscientiousness and use of Channels of access to information (r= 0/051). Conclusion: Extroverted students spend more time for searching and meeting their information need than the others and Nervous students less than the others. Extroverted students use Libraries and information centers more than the other students and the other channels for access to information. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

8 - Comparing the formats of MA produced abstracts with other disciplines matching with ISO 214 at the University of Science and Research Branch of Khuzestan: From 2007 to 2011
Fariba Nazari mohsen hamidi

Purpose: The present research aimed at comparing the formats of abstracts among social sciences students at the MA level with other fields of studies regarding their appraisal based on the standards of ISO 214 between 2007 and 2011. Methodology: The study design was ba More

Purpose: The present research aimed at comparing the formats of abstracts among social sciences students at the MA level with other fields of studies regarding their appraisal based on the standards of ISO 214 between 2007 and 2011. Methodology: The study design was based on ex-post facto research and the data was collected through library search. Data included 3469 abstracts collection among the MA theses of the graduated students of Social Sciences, Politics, Knowledge and Information Science, Counseling, English language teaching, and Irrigation. The research instrument was a checklist developed by ISO 214 to check the criteria used to evaluate the appropriate formats of the abstracts at the MA level. This checklist was used to compare the MA abstract formats with those of standard abstracts written based on ISO 214.Analysis of the data was conducted through SPSS 17. Findings: The Chi-square analysis indicated that 50% of the abstracts carried out ISO 214 standards and the rest prepared inappropriately concerned with their styles of writing, spelling, meaning and coherence. In terms of ranking the abstracts concerning their appropriateness, Knowledge and Information Science, Counseling and English language teaching MA abstracts were better than those of Social Sciences, Politics, and Irrigation majors. Conclusion: The research may be useful for MA students and the supervisors since they need to follow ISO 214 to write their abstracts with clarity and effectiveness.   Manuscript profile

XML

List of Articles