African Journals - An Evaluation of the Use of African-published Journals in African Universities Evaluating Impact - Education Research Paper No. 36, 1999, 63 p.

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APPENDIX : DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS 1998

A. GUIDANCE NOTES ON DATA COLLECTION
B. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
C. QUESTIONNAIRE FOR ACADEMIC STAFF
D. UNDERGRADUATE FINAL YEAR PROJECTS - JOURNAL CITATIONS
E. POSTGRADUATE THESES - JOURNAL CITATIONS
F. ACADEMIC STAFF PUBLICATIONS - JOURNAL CITATIONS
G. LIBRARY COUNT OF JOURNAL USE
H. LIBRARY COUNT OF JOURNAL USE: SUMMARY

DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS 1998

A. GUIDANCE NOTES ON DATA COLLECTION

1. Background information

· before proceeding with data collection, complete and submit the background information form. Very full information was provided by both libraries in 1997. However I suggest that you may like to revisit the titles of current and back files of African journals, remembering to include the country of publication in brackets after the title. For journals in general, check the number of current titles taken. Some may have been cancelled or added during the year.

So that numbers are comparable between universities, please exclude newspapers, annual reports, yearbooks, series, calendars, prospectuses, etc. What we want to count are journals and newsletters.

This year only self-completion questionnaires will be used to collect data from academic staff.

· ensure the completion of a questionnaire by all the academic staff in two faculties, i.e. approximately 50 staff per faculty. If the staff of a chosen faculty is greater in number than 50, then select 50 staff, representative of all departments within the faculty, as your population. NB. The target is total population;

· to maximize the number of returns, allow a full six months, from March to September, for delivery and completion of the questionnaires. This should allow for the capture of those away on short study leaves and of those with heavy work loads;

· prepare a list of all staff who have been given questionnaires and submit this list together with completed forms;

· prior to questionnaire distribution, ask for authority from Deans and Heads of Department;

· although the questionnaire includes an introduction explaining the nature of the research, try to deliver and collect it personally. Explain the purpose of the research project, the way in which the annual collection of data is enabling us to monitor changes in journal use and how it is hoped to use the results to improve the publication, availability and use made of African-published journals. Describe some of the findings to date and promise to give those completing the questionnaire details of the final report. On collection of the report, assist those who may have had some problems in its completion and clarify any queries about question meanings, etc.

· carry out an analysis of the journal citations given over the past twelve months in three types of materials produced in the same faculties (or departments) in which the interviews were made:

· undergraduate final year projects

· postgraduate theses

· academic staff publications (e.g. journals articles, books, research reports, conference papers, etc.)

There is a summary data collection form for each type of material. The process of analysis is probably best made by preparing a 5" x 3" slip of paper for each new citation found and then marking the number of times it is cited within that type of publication. Please include volumes, parts and years for all citations and list in alphabetical order;

· the date of the citation analysis (June) is aimed to coincide with the end of the academic year. However the actual month is not important, so long as only publications of one previous year are analyzed and so long as there is no overlap with citations already submitted;

· if the materials to be analyzed are not already collected by the library, then it will be necessary to identify and collect the publications from departments and individual staff. Use all possible methods, e.g. request details when delivering the questionnaire, examine applications for appointments and promotions, check local journals.

· the library count is of all journals in all libraries in the university system, which hold periodical collections;

· the date of the library count is aimed to be in the middle of a teaching term or semester. Mid-November is recommended, since this was the time it was done in 1996 and 1997. However if semester times have been varied, carry out in the middle of the teaching semester for the faculty concerned;

· identify and count all journals (current issues and back files) left on reading tables at the end of each hour every day for one week and then immediately re-shelve. Enter the information on the form provided. At the end of the week, enter the cumulative figures on the summary form;

· if journals are loaned, then identify and count those in the issue at the end of the week and add to the summary form;

· ensure that readers do not re-shelve journals, e.g. by placing prominent notices on the tables or by giving users this instruction as they enter the library;

· for the data collection, it may be most appropriate to recruit members of the library staff to undertake the identification, counting and re-shelving of journals. In this case provide adequate training and supervision.

B. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

University Library:

Date:

PART ONE: CURRENT JOURNALS

(Include newsletters; include subscriptions and donations; exclude newspapers, annual reports, yearbooks, series, calendars, prospectuses, etc.)

Number of current journals (including African-published):

Titles of African-published current journals:
(List below in alphabetical order and include country of publication in brackets after the title)

PART TWO: JOURNAL HOLDINGS
(Include newsletters; include subscriptions and donations; exclude newspapers, annual reports, yearbooks, series, calendars, prospectuses, etc.)

Number of journal titles with back files (including African-published):

Number of volumes of journal back files (including African-published):

Back files of African-published journals:
(List titles below in alphabetical order. Indicate the years of the back files and include country of publication in brackets after the title)

C. QUESTIONNAIRE FOR ACADEMIC STAFF

In answering this questionnaire, you will be providing data for a research project which is examining and evaluating the use that is being made of African-published journals. The data collection is taking place every three years in two African universities, University of Ghana in Legon and University of Zambia. The broad objectives of the survey are to discover the use being made of African-published journals; to evaluate their impact on research; and to compare the use made of African and non-African journals. It is hoped that the results of the survey will provide insights into the relationship between indigenous publication and African scholarship and suggest ways of improving the publication, availability and use made of African-published journals.

In 1998, the final year of the research, you are being asked to complete a questionnaire. All information will be treated in confidence. The results of the research will be circulated to you in 1999. We very much appreciate your assistance and co-operation. Thank you!

PART ONE: BACKGROUND INFORMATION

University:

Faculty:__________________ Department:

Name:___________________ Post:

Were you interviewed or did you complete a questionnaire in connection with this research:

in 1996? Yes No in l997? Yes No

Date on which you are completing this questionnaire:

PART TWO: JOURNALS IN GENERAL

1. Is journal literature important to your current academic work? (Tick)

Yes No Partly

Give reasons for your answer:

2. How do you rate the importance of journal literature to your work compared to other types of literature? (Tick)

More Equally Less

Give reasons for your answer:

3. Name the titles of journals (up to three) which you consult the most:

4. In what ways do these journals assist you in your teaching? (Rank ways, in order of their importance, by writing the numbers 1,2,3 in the boxes provided)

Basis of a lecture
Recommended reading for students
Updating notes
Other (please name the way)

5. In what ways do these journals assist you in your research? (Rank ways, in order of their importance, by writing the numbers 1 2,3 in the boxes provided)

Contribution to ongoing research
Future research topic
Other (please name the way)

6. How do you identify which journal or journal article you need to read? (Rank methods, in order of their importance, by writing the numbers 1,2,3,4 in the boxes provided)

Current issue on display in the Library
Current contents service
Indexing/abstracting service
Reference found in another publication
Newsletter
Personal contact
No method
Other (please name the method)

7. Do you use electronic means (e.g. Internet, CD-ROM, e-mail) to identify a journal or journal article you wish to read? (Tick)

Internet
CD-ROM
E-mail
Other (please name)

If so, give full details:

If not, give reasons:

8. How do you obtain the journal articles you want to read? (Rank methods, in order of their importance, by writing the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 in the boxes provided)

University Library
Departmental Library
Another library
Subject network
Purchase
Personal contact
No method
Other (please name the method)

9. Do you use electronic means (e.g. Internet, CD-ROM, e-mail) to obtain a journal or journal article you wish to read? (Tick)

Internet
CD-ROM
E-mail
Other (please name)

If so, give full details:

If not, give reasons:

PART THREE: AFRICAN-PUBLISHED JOURNALS

10. How do you rate the importance to your academic work of journals published in Africa compared to those published elsewhere? (Tick)

More Equally Less

Give reasons for your answer:

11. Name titles of journals published in Africa which you consult regularly:

12. In what ways do these journals assist you in your teaching? (Rank ways, in order of their importance, by writing the numbers 1,2,3 in the boxes provided)

Basis of a lecture
Recommended reading for students
Updating notes
Other (please name the way)

13. In what ways do these journals assist you in your research? (Rank ways, in order of their importance, by writing the numbers 1,2,3 in the boxes provided)

Contribution to ongoing research
Future research topic
Other (please name the way)

14. How do you identify an African-published journal or article in an African-published journal which you need to read? (Rank methods, in order of their importance, by writing the numbers 1,2,3,4 in the boxes provided)

Current issue on display in the Library
Current contents service
Indexing/abstracting service
Reference found in another publication
Newsletter
Personal contact
No method
Other (please name the method)

15. Do you use electronic means (e.g. Internet, CD-ROM, e-mail) to identify an African-published journal or journal article you wish to read? (Tick box)

Internet
CD-ROM
E-mail
Other (please name)

If so, give full details:

If not, give reasons:

0
16. How do you obtain articles from African-published journals? (Rank methods, in order of their importance, by writing the numbers 1,2,3,4 in the boxes provided)

University Library
Departmental Library
Another library
Subject network
Purchase
Personal contact
No method
Other (please name the method)

17. Do you use electronic means (e.g. Internet, CD-ROM, e-mail) to obtain an African-published journal or journal article you wish to read? (Tick box)

Internet
CD-ROM
E-mail
Other (please name)

If so, give full details:

If not, give reasons:

18. Name the title of any African-published journal (s) which you would like to consult, but which you have not been able to obtain:

19. In what ways could journals published in Africa be made more useful to your teaching or research? (Rank methods, in order of their importance, by writing the numbers 1,2,3,4 in the boxes provided)

Improved marketing to increase awareness of existence
Inclusion in international current contents/indexing/abstracting databases
Current contents/indexing/abstracting service for African journals
More regular publication
Better researched articles
Better refereeing/editorial control
Circulation of new issues, table of contents, etc. to academic staff
Other, i.e.

PART FOUR: THE FUTURE

20. Do you consider that your perception of the importance of journal literature to your academic work has changed over the last three years or is likely to change in the future? Give reasons for your answer.

21. Do you consider that your perception of the importance of African-published journal literature to your academic work has changed over the last three years or is likely to change in the future? Give details.

22. Do you consider that your actual use of journal literature has increased over the past three years? (Tick box)

Journals in general:	More	Less	Same
African-published:	More	Less	Same

Give reasons for your answer:

23. Over the past three years, have you found it easier or harder to identify and obtain the journal articles that you want to read?

Journals in general:	Easier	Harder	Same
African-published:	Easier	Harder	Same

Give reasons for your answer:

PART FIVE: YOUR VIEWS AND OPINIONS

24. Any other comments:

D. UNDERGRADUATE FINAL YEAR PROJECTS - JOURNAL CITATIONS

University:

Faculty:

Department:

Year: 199 to 199 (state month as well as year)

Number of projects analyzed:

	Title of journal, volume (part), year	No. of citations
African	(in alphabetical order and including country of publication)
Non-African	(in alphabetical order)

E. POSTGRADUATE THESES - JOURNAL CITATIONS

University:

Faculty:

Department:

Year: 199 to 199 (state month as well as year)

Number of theses analyzed:

	Title of journal, volume (part), year	No. of citations
African	(In alphabetical order and including country of publication)
Non-African	(in alphabetical order)

F. ACADEMIC STAFF PUBLICATIONS - JOURNAL CITATIONS

University:

Faculty:

Department:

Year: 199 to 199 (state month as well as year)

Number of publications analyzed:

	Title of journal, volume (part), year	No. of citations
African	(in alphabetical order and including country of publication)
Non-African	(in alphabetical order)

G. LIBRARY COUNT OF JOURNAL USE

University:

Library:

Day, month and year: _____________ Day of week:

Time of count :______________ AM/PM

Title of journal	Year	Volume	Part

H. LIBRARY COUNT OF JOURNAL USE: SUMMARY

University:

Library:

Week of count: from Monday, ___________199 to Sunday, 199

	Title of journal	Year	Vol.	Part	No. of times used
African	(in alphabetical order)
	Title of journal	Year	Vol.	Part	No. of times used
Non-African	(in alphabetical order)

DFID
Department for International Development

Department For International Development
94 Victoria Street
London SW1E 5JL

ISBN: 1 86192 157 8

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