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This study examines the factors contributing to the low utilization of quantitative research approaches among social work research students. A census sampling technique was employed to conduct a survey of 1268 students who had completed their final year research dissertations. The descriptive statistics revealed that 81% (n = 1022) of social work students employed qualitative research, 16% (n = 208) used mixed methods, and only 3% (n = 38) utilized quantitative approaches. A multiple linear regression analysis revealed factors that were statistically significant (ρ<.05) in predicting low utilization of quantitative approaches that include; the supervisor’s preference, the student’s secondary education, training in research methods, competency in statistics, methodological flexibility and suitability, resources constraints, professional assistance, and fear of failure. These findings prompt recommendations for social work training institutions to enhance their research capacity, adopt co-supervisions, advocate for quantitative research, and prioritize continuous research mentorship in statistical tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bibliometric analysis was conducted over the bibliographies of chemistry and physics doctoral dissertations between 1970 and 2020 to ascertain what types of documents are cited, average ages of cited references and overall changes of dissertation references that have occurred with the advent of electronic resources. The study reviewed 50 dissertations for each discipline with 10 dissertations from each decade (n = 100). Results measured 12,065 total references and found that the median age of journals increased in both chemistry and physics, doubling from 2010 to 2020. Only a few dissertation studies have been done on a longitudinal base to evaluate changes in publication trends. Similarities between the two disciplines with increases in the percentages of journal articles and declines in the number of books, other dissertations, and material types are calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study compares journal citations from dissertations granted at three universities (Penn State, Cornell, and Auburn) using a novel bibliometric approach: text mining. We first tested the validity of text mining as a method for collecting journal title mentions by comparing text mining results with human-tallied results on a set of dissertations. We then text mined a group of dissertations using a preexisting list of journal titles in order to count journal title mentions in combination with the number of dissertations citing each title. The combination of journal title mentions and number of citing dissertations created a ranking for comparison across institutions. Our study presents text mining as a reliable and less time-intensive option for certain types of bibliometric analyses and also shows the utility of a ranked score approach (CD rank) for making cross-institutional citation comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author writes in support of Dr. Afanasyeva's open letter to Russian Minister of Education O.Y. Vasilieva. He agrees with Dr. Afanasyeva's assessment of the current problems facing the Russian academic community in terms of both the awarding of degrees and the process of publishing peer-reviewed articles. The reduction of publicly funded universities and the commercialization of academia have had a detrimental effect on academic standards. While relaxed academic standards have led to plagiarism and improper accreditation, the over-bureaucratization of the academic process has also led to unnecessary procedures that often stymie scientific research and the publication of legitimate research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a preliminary review of the Annotated Bibliography of Mindanao Studies, which is a four-volume compilation based on a one-year survey by members of the Mindanao Studies Consortium. It focuses on the PhD dissertations produced by Mindanao scholars or scholars of the island and argues that these 'local intelligentsia' play the role of 'discursive mediators' between the local communities and the outside academic, policy and civil society world. To the now-classic question posed by Gayatri Spivak, 'Can the Subaltern Speak?', the possible answer would be 'yes, but often through these mediators'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study explores journal citations from 62 doctoral dissertations in rural sociology from 2004 to 2021 at The Pennsylvania State University. A citation analysis of 7,234 journal citations identified three ranked lists: number of citations (Cit Rank), number of dissertations citing the journal (Diss Rank), and the average combined rank of citation counts and dissertation counts (CD Rank). Our study identifies 31 journal titles based on Cit Rank and Diss Rank 43 unique titles across the three ranking methods. Analysis of variance between (CD Rank and Cit Rank) is 5.51 and (CD Rank and Diss Rank) is 4.77. The average difference in range between Cit Rank and Diss Rank is 9.4. Correlation between (Cit Rank and Diss Rank) using Kendall tau b is.538 and Spearman rho.734. Correlation between (CD Rank and Cit Rank) demonstrates a stronger correlation using Kendall tau b.796 and Spearman rho.934. Correlation between (CD Rank and Diss Rank) demonstrates a stronger correlation using Kendall tau b.757 and Spearman rho.911. In sum, there is a strong correlation between CD Rank and both Cit Rank and Diss Rank. Finally our study assesses our findings organizing them into the following categories: rural studies, sociology, agriculture, development, natural resources and environment, health, demography and geography, general social sciences. The core journal title list that our research has generated will help librarians better develop and manage their collections in support of rural sociology research. The journal title list also provides an excellent starting point for researchers exploring empirical research in rural sociology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed dissertations and theses completed from 2009–2019 in the Mathematics and Statistics department at the University at Albany to investigate resource type, citation age, publishers, and journal title dispersion. Students cited journal articles 57.0% of the time, while books and book chapters combined accounted for 30.5% of the citations. Publisher usage fit the Pareto Distribution; however, there was a high journal title dispersion. Preprints represented 4.6% of the citations, an increase from previous studies. The amount of graduate student citation quality issues and preprint citations shows a need for instruction and discussions in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on supervisor and supervisee interviews, analysis of supervisor feedback on the supervisee's draft chapters, and departmental supervisory guidelines, this study focuses on the roles a master's dissertation supervisor plays during the course of supervision. These roles are discussed referring to models of supervisory pedagogy, the teaching, partnership, apprenticeship, contractual, pastoral, and non-interfering models. Supervisee and supervisor agreed that the supervisor aligned with different roles at different times for different purposes, showing this was a case of adaptive supervision. Nonetheless, the supervisor's feedback indicated supervision was more directive than his interview data suggested, illustrating the need to collect data from multiple sources to capture the complexities of the supervisory dynamic. We conclude that the dangers of departments attempting to formulate homogenized supervisory practices are highlighted by our case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used citation analysis in conjunction with a subjective rubric with five validated criteria to assess the quality of a purposive sample of 452 education dissertation reference lists produced at a nontraditional institution from six doctoral programs. These programs used a variety of distance education models. The citations were then compared with the 100 reference lists selected from doctoral education programs at 10 traditional institutions. Criteria included the breadth of resources, depth of the literature review as shown through the citing of critical historical and theoretical works, depth as demonstrated through the scholarliness of citations chosen, currency, and relevancy. The study discusses how the expanded sample of traditional reference lists continued to demonstrate consistent patterns. In contrast, although the sample of reference lists from distance education programs was much expanded, the patterns of the subsets of reference lists at the nontraditional institution were significantly diverse. The patterns of 35 doctoral reference lists from another for-profit, nontraditional institution known for providing distance education were also examined to compare the results of the two nontraditional programs. Possible reasons for differences in citation patterns by traditional and nontraditional programs are discussed, and the possible role of distance education and program criteria are examined for insights they offer into the use of citation analysis as an assessment tool of the library research skills of doctoral students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissertations are positioned as the capstone of an undergraduate degree, bringing together what students have previously learned from their programmes through a piece of independent research. However, there is limited research into the ways in which engaging in a dissertation has an impact on students’ understandings of disciplinary knowledge. In this article, we explore the relations between students’ accounts of sociological knowledge in their second and third years and how they engage with sociological knowledge in their dissertations. We argue that for the work of the dissertation to have an impact on students’ understanding of sociological knowledge, students need to see their discipline as providing a way of answering their research questions. We explore the implications of this argument for both our understanding of the role of dissertations and research-based learning in universities more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Library funds are frequently spent to purchase books released by commercial publishers. This case study seeks to identify publisher types most often cited by PhD students. Almost 4,300 citations from 487 science dissertations published at The Ohio State University between 2003 and 2012 were examined to determine the types of book publishers cited. Results revealed that the commercial book publishers continue to rank the highest among researchers; however, some disciplines may reference or cite other types of book publisher categories. When comparing overall rankings, commercial book publishers have clearly shown a dominance during the 10-year review period. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although there have been noticeable improvements in recent years, geography continues to be a predominantly male discipline. The percentage of women receiving PhDs in geography has tracked lower than the U.S. average of female PhDs. Previous studies of women's contribution to geography have focused on personal accounts or on the study of some of the most prominent practitioners, with a few studies using basic data on PhDs awarded and Association of American Geographers membership to determine trends. This article provides a comprehensive overview of doctoral degrees in geography by gender, over time, and across all universities in the United States by examining an alternative database, that of doctoral dissertations. The analysis yields three separate types of results. First, historical and contemporary variations among U.S. universities are examined. Second, data indicate that male and female doctoral students differ in the sex of their advisor. Third, a simple regression model explains some of the discrepancies in the proportion of female doctoral students by department. In sum, this article provides a comprehensive empirical study of the factors that might contribute to the continued disparities in female doctoral students in geography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Doctoral dissertations approved in 2009 by U.S. graduate programs in aerospace, biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental, industrial, and mechanical engineering were examined to identify U.S. patent applications based on inventions described in those dissertations. Slightly over 8 percent of the studied dissertations yielded at least one patent application, although the percentage varied greatly among disciplines. This is important to librarians because they play key roles in the dissertation process from cataloging to educating graduate students and faculty about dissertations, patents, and the patenting process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first social work doctoral program in Canada began in 1952. Relatively recently, the number of programs has grown rapidly, doubling in the past 10 years to 14 programs. Despite the expansion there is no systematic understanding of the patterns and trends in doctoral research. In this study we review 248 publicly available dissertations from 2001 to 2011. We find that most dissertations are qualitative and descriptive in nature with a relatively low percentage focusing on intervention. We compare findings with other dissertation studies and raise critical questions about the knowledge base of social work in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of geography as a discipline has often employed a top-down approach that examines the output of the field's most prominent members. In this paper, we provide a bottom-up approach by analyzing geography dissertations. We start by assembling a database that includes the title, author, date, and university for every geographic doctoral dissertation written in the United States over the last 120 years. The database allows us to track the rise and fall of regions of interest and specific topics. It gives a broad overview of the different schools in geography and their influence within separate historical periods. And it permits a more empirically based delineation of geographical 'eras' based on the commonality of words in dissertation titles. This work is at the convergence of the quantitative and qualitative; we quantify and visualize textual data to provide a more robust history of geography. The result is a new, more comprehensive way to look at the changing discipline of geography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inaugurated in 2013, this collective research programme aims to construct an international mapping of the history of education that accounts for recent developments in the field. Our goal is to create a current and retrospective assessment of the discipline’s institutional grounding and of the knowledge produced by its practitioners, stretching across national and cultural borders. Ultimately, the programme will help to increase interactions among scholars and facilitate the creation of collaborative research agendas, thereby augmenting the standing and visibility of the discipline. This text will briefly introduce the programme’s conceptual basis, explaining the methodological steps taken to ensure the comparability of data gathered and the transnational and transcontinental character of the study’s design. In the second section, we will zoom in on doctoral students’ dissertations, which are the optimal way to study a discipline’s development and potential. Doctoral students and recent graduates are part of a tradition, a school of thought, and yet they constitute that tradition’s replacement and renewal. Therefore, as graduate students carry forth the disciplinary torch, they hold the future of the field in their hands. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A citation analysis of doctoral dissertations was conducted for the department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences at the University at Albany. A total of twenty-nine dissertations submitted between the years 2000 and 2010 yielded 3,298 citations. These graduate students relied on journal articles (85.1 percent) more than books (7.6 percent). A list of twenty-six core titles was created. These results will be useful for the University Libraries and other institutions with collections in atmospheric sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Bibliographies from 40 doctoral dissertations in political science from Penn State University were analyzed to detect any changes that may have occurred in the types and subject classifications of cited sources over time. The oldest dissertations in this sample reflected a research methodology more akin to history, while the newest reflected a methodology more in line with the social sciences. Results were then compared and contrasted with those of prior studies. The exercise of local citation analysis can connect librarians more deeply to a discipline as it is practiced at their institution, benefitting their own understanding and the services they provide. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This citation analysis of locally produced theses and dissertations was undertaken to discover the identity and characteristics of resources most used by graduate students in the College of Pharmacy. Resources are examined for material type, age, and subject dispersion. Core lists of frequently used titles—both journals and monographs—were developed. The presented data should assist in decisions regarding acquisition and retention. The study may interest others who are planning local citation analyses as well as those interested in pharmaceutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissertations continue to be useful publications both for the information they present and for the formatting guidance they offer to dissertators in progress. The process of identifying and accessing dissertations has changed as they evolve from print to electronic as their primary format. This article examines the inclusion rates of musicology dissertations in four research tools (Music Index, RILM Abstracts of Music Literature, Doctoral Dissertations in Musicology, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses). It also investigates issues specific to the findability and accessibility of music dissertations as they move to electronic form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Given the thousands of theses and dissertations (TDs) that are produced each year, and their role in advancing their disciplines, it is well worth disseminating them as widely as possible. A great leap forward in increasing TD distribution has been the electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) movement. ETD information in catalogs provides valuable basic access, especially when bibliographic records are contributed to large databases. While these bibliographic records can be created automatically by harvesting author-supplied metadata from ETDs, for fuller access, cataloger mediation is needed to remove errors and numeric entities; plus name authority control. Fullest access entails subject analysis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A survey on subject analysis of theses/dissertations in print and electronic formats was sent to 280 academic libraries classified as Doctorate-granting Universities under the 2007 Carnegie Classification. Questions were asked about resources used in subject analysis, use of keywords and social tags, personnel involved in subject analysis, Subject Authority Cooperative Program membership, and problems encountered in subject analysis. A total of 205 responses were received, yielding a response rate of 73%. The survey results indicate that subject analysis was done by a large majority of respondents, with a number of comments expressed about challenges facing current subject-analysis practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to provide a comprehensive review of research works in the library and information science (LIS) discipline in India during 1957–2009 in order to identify trends and patterns in doctoral research, both at the national level and within the Department of Library and Information Science, Panjab University, Chandigarh (PU). Research in LIS by PhD students in India was a sporadic activity for about two decades increasing slowly until around 1980, when it increased by more than five times during the 1980s. In the 1990s, the number of PhD theses more than doubled (from 104 to 232). The growth slowed during the next decade, during which 266 theses were completed. The 1990s recorded a rapid growth in both the number of doctoral degrees awarded and the geographic spread of universities/institutes offering doctoral degree programmes in the country. The new millennium recorded continued growth; more than two-fifths of total doctoral degrees were awarded in the first nine years (2001–2009). This growth in doctoral degrees was fueled by parity in pay-scales and promotional avenues accorded by the University Grants Commission to library science professionals, bringing them in line with university teachers at time of the Fourth Pay-Commission. Seventy universities awarded 623 degrees in library science during 1957–2009 giving an average of about nine degrees per university. Nevertheless, there were wide inter-state and inter-university variations. The number varied from a high of 58 degrees by Karnatak University, Dharwad to a low of one degree each in at least nine universities. Research in the LIS discipline in India was characterized by a replication of the themes already researched in foreign universities, a lack of diversification in research themes, a dearth of research on themes dealing with conceptual and methodological issues, and a decline in the quality of research with an increase in quantity of research works. Sub-fields, such as library use studies and user studies, university libraries, public libraries, information storage and retrieval, personnel and bibliometrics were among the most popular research topics, their combined share being more than two-fifths in total research works awarded during the study period. The open access system, repository system and digital libraries were emerging themes; however, some people consider the research to be conceptually and methodologically weak, requiring immediate attention. With forty-one doctoral degrees to its credit, PU is one of the three top universities in India in terms of the number of doctoral degrees awarded. Similar to the trends at the national level, progress remained slow up until 1980 and picked up rapidly during the 1990s. The new millennium brought a phase of rapid growth, with more than two-fifths of total doctoral degrees awarded in the last nine years. With one year remaining, the current decade is likely to make a new history in library science at PU. Thematically, while only about two-fifths of the research sub-fields explored in PhD dissertations at the national level have been examined so far at PU, the diversity of sub-fields and the focus on emerging themes were more marked at PU than at the national level. Diversity of themes and use of scientific methods in research, as a marked feature of doctoral dissertations at PU in recent years, prompted one of the researchers to formulate as many as twenty hypotheses for empirical testing. Interestingly, six of the ten theses awarded between 2000 and 2003 in the department contained themes either focusing on Iran or comparing Iran with India. This was indicative of the department’s popularity with foreign students, especially Iranians. Another interesting feature was that two of the teachers in the department supervised more than a half of the total PhD theses awarded up to 2009. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of the University's Masters' level (M-level) generic assessment criteria when used by lecturers from different disciplines. A further aim was to evaluate if subject-specific knowledge was essential to marking these dissertations. Four senior lecturers from diverse disciplines participated in this study. The University of Teesside's generic M-level assessment criteria were used and formatted into a grid. The assessment criteria related to the learning outcomes, the depth of understanding, the complexity of analysis and synthesis and the structure and academic presentation of the work. As well as a quantitative mark, a qualitative statement for the reason behind the judgement was required. Each lecturer provided a dissertation that had previously been marked. All participants then marked each of the four projects using the M-level grid and comments sheet. The study found very good inter-rater reliability. For any one project, the variation in marks from the original mark was no more than 6% on average. This study also found that subject-specific knowledge was not essential to marking when using generic assessment criteria in terms of the reliability of marks. The authors acknowledge the exploratory nature of these results and hope other lecturers will join in the exploration to test the robustness of generic assessment criteria across disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electronic thesis/dissertation (ETD), a technological product of the last two decades, streamlines the student submission and approval process, greatly alters cataloging practices, and renders this type of scholarly research much more widely and readily available than the traditional print thesis/dissertation (TD). The ETD possibly comprises and even more significant segment of academic literature than did its print counterpart. Thus, libraries seek to enhance access to the ETD and its current research results through quality cataloging. This chapter presents information on literature and summarizes results of several surveys conducted to study aspects of treating and cataloging ETDs. The literature and survey results present current cataloging practices regarding access points such as classification and subject headings, additional MARC fields to describe the electronic nature of the ETD, and use of student-submitted keywords. The authors also present ways in which catalogers can learn more about ETDs such as use of listservs and attendance at ETD-related conferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supervision of students engaged in research projects and theses is an important site of teaching. Schon's (1987) well-known framework-educating for reflective practice-proves aptly suited for this teaching forum, offering insights for research supervision at multiple university levels. Conceptually, a research and writing studio where a practicum takes place is substituted for Schon's illustrative architectural design studio. The framework is mined for its fine-grained analysis of student-coach interaction and its emphasis on bringing self-reflection, a practice consistent with social work ideals, to three levels: research and writing, the student-coach dialogue and the relationship in which it is embedded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper evaluates the status of digitization in 30 Nigerian university libraries with a view to identifying the status, progress, prospects and challenges to digitize library materials and form the basis of providing a roadmap to successful execution of digitization projects. The study assessed the status of digitization of past question papers, theses and dissertations in Nigerian university libraries from May to September 2006 through a self-administered questionnaire, site visits and interviews. It was found that, though there are automation services in those universities, there is no digitization of these materials mentioned in the surveyed institutions. The major obstacles militating against digitizing in the university libraries include lack of funds, lack of appropriate facilities, lack of skilled manpower and lack of constant electricity supply. Respondents were anxious to have the services to commence because of their importance in facilitating teaching, learning and research. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Citation analysis of dissertations was used to explore the interdisciplinary nature of education graduate students' research. A sample of curriculum and instruction dissertations, and their bibliographies we studied using citation analysis methods and analysis of Digital Dissertation records. Research methodologies were also explored. Rather than crossing broad disciplinary boundaries, interdisciplinary work for these students occurred at the level of specific fields of study within curriculum and instruction, and at times education subdisciplines. Questions are raised about the nature of interdisciplinarity jn graduate student work. As faculty research and academic structures continues to evolve, graduate student work also may change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the use and importance of examining dissertations listed in scholarly journals, while focusing on a critical period of French doctoral education in historical studies. French dissertations in history were bibliometrically examined from Revue historique, a mainstream history journal published in France. Prior to 1984, there existed three separate doctoral degrees in France for the social sciences and the humanities. Data from 1976 to 1990 were profiled reflecting critical changes to the French doctoral process as it underwent a period of doctoral refoma. The period 1983-1990 is examined critically for its significance with respect to transformation and changes in degree structure, subdisciplinary evolution and periodization. Journals listing dissertations can be examined for their disciplinary indicators. Understanding these changes in gray literature is critical for researchers using French doctoral dissertations in historical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This bibliography lists master's theses and doctoral dissertations pertinent to the discipline of pharmacy administration during the years 2001-2005. The list was compiled by contacting AACP-listed schools with graduate programs and requesting information. ProQuest Digital Dissertations was used to fill in any incomplete information regarding dissertations. Whenever possible, departments" Web sites were used to verify information or to gather information that was not otherwise provided by the schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

French geography dissertations for the years 1985–2002 were examined for their salient characteristics in terms of degree production, dissertation type, institutional affiliation, and geographical reach. These dissertations offer a rich base of research conducted in a country known for its innovative geographical research and tradition. Particular strengths and trends were discerned and concentrations of institutional base and activity established. This study can serve as a template for other national research traditions and disciplines, and is especially useful for library science and those interested in characteristics of literature studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study conducted at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library (UIUC) examined data from a random sample of PhD dissertation titles to determine the number of items missing from the portion of the collection housed in the Main Bookstacks. Results from the study indicated that a higher number of items were missing than originally estimated based on failures to find materials on the shelf. Analysis of the data resulted in recommendations to replace the titles that were missing to ensure access by future researchers to this uniquely held material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the end of the 1970s in Sweden, social work was established as an academic discipline with research, professorships and PhD programmes. This article is based on a number of studies on the production of academic knowledge with special attention given to implications for the relations between education, research and social work practice. The following empirical data is analysed: (1) the first 89 PhD dissertations in social work between 1980 and 1998; (2) more than 500 theses written by students at Bachelor's and Master's level 1977-97; (3) two examples of comprehensive theory for social work practice; (4) curriculum and courses in PhD programmes; and (5) literature on research methods within BSW programmes. Our aim is to describe profiles of topics, research methods, use of theory, and to discuss important factors behind these patterns and some crucial aspects of the development of the discipline. Both PhD dissertations and undergraduate theses are heterogeneous and include a wide range of different types of social problems and interventions. Regarding methodological positions, qualitative methods dominate. To explain the predominance of qualitative methods a number of hypotheses involving both cognitive and social components are presented. On the whole the PhD dissertations give the impression of a discipline with a great deal of knowledge import, theoretical pluralism and a high level of paradigmatic openness. A metaphor describes the direction of social work science as an initial rural landscape of knowledge with a certain degree of urbanisation. The result may be an exclusion of certain areas and a troublesome narrowing of social work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent attention to institutional variables that underlie the publication productivity levels of academic accountants threatens to obscure the fact that research is conducted by individuals who bring differing levels of ability, motivation and interest to scholarship. This study introduces willingness to write as a new correlate of productivity. Using the population of PhDs in accounting from US universities with conferred degrees between 1986 and 1996 as a sample, the results show that willingness to write is significant in the explanation of publication productivity when this is measured in a variety of ways. In turn, willingness to write is explained by institutional status. However, the direction of these relationships needs to differentiate the type of publishing that the individual undertakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]