The State of OA: A large-scale analysis of the prevalence and impact of Open Access articles

In 2011, researchers at Bucknell University and Illinois Wesleyan University compared the search efficacy of Serial Solutions Summon, EBSCO Discovery Service, Google Scholar, and conventional library databases. Using a mixed-methods approach, qualitative and quantitative data were gathered on students’ usage of these tools. Regardless of the search system, students exhibited a marked inability to effectively evaluate sources and a heavy reliance on default search settings. This article describes these results and makes recommendations for libraries considering these tools.

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Paths of Discovery: Comparing the Search Effectiveness of EBSCO Discovery Service, Summon, Google Scholar, and Conventional Library Resources.

Academic librarians are increasingly engaging in data curation by providing infrastructure (e.g., institutional repositories) and offering services (e.g., data management plan consultations) to support the management of research data on their campuses. Efforts to develop these resources may benefit from a greater understanding of disciplinary differences in research data management needs. After conducting a survey of data management practices and perspectives at our research university, we categorized faculty members into four research domains—arts and humanities, social sciences, medical sciences, and basic sciences—and analyzed variations in their patterns of survey responses. We found statistically significant differences among the four research domains for nearly every survey item, revealing important disciplinary distinctions in data management actions, attitudes, and interest in support services. Serious consideration of both the similarities and dissimilarities among disciplines will help guide academic librarians and other data curation professionals in developing a range of data-management services that can be tailored to the unique needs of different scholarly researchers.

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Disciplinary Differences in Faculty Research Data Management Practices and Perspectives

https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1008&context=library_sp

The Impact of Web-scale Discovery on the Use of a Library Collection

Most top impact factor ecology journals indicate a preference or requirement for short manuscripts; some state clearly defined word limits, whereas others indicate a preference for more concise papers. Yet evidence from a variety of academic fields indicates that within journals longer papers are both more positively reviewed by referees and more highly cited. We examine the relationship between citations received and manuscript length, number of authors, and number of references cited for papers published in 32 ecology journals between 2009 and 2012. We find that longer papers, those with more authors, and those that cite more references are cited more. Although paper length, author count, and references cited all positively covary, an increase in each independently predicts an increase in citations received, with estimated relationships positive for all the journals we examined. That all three variables covary positively with citations suggests that papers presenting more and a greater diversity of data and ideas are more impactful. We suggest that the imposition of arbitrary manuscript length limits discourages the publication of more impactful studies. We propose that journals abolish arbitrary word or page limits, avoid declining papers (or requiring shortening) on the basis of length alone (irrespective of content), and adopt the philosophy that papers should be as long as they need to be.

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Citations increase with manuscript length, author number, and references cited in ecology journals

Data sharing interviews with crop sciences faculty: Why they share data and how the library can help

In spring 2013, the Life Sciences Data Services Librarian at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign gave a data management presentation to early-career, agricultural faculty members participating in a selective program designed to help them succeed in the tenure process. After the presentation, the participants were invited to complete an online survey that included questions on how well informed and prepared they feel about funding agencies’ data requirements, what data challenges they face, and how the library can help with new or improved services in this area. The presentation discussion and survey responses suggested value in offering data training specifically for agricultural graduate students and research assistants and compiling examples of data management plans from successful grant proposals. Despite the small number of participants, the feedback provides an interesting glimpse into data management from the perspective of early-career faculty.

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Gathering Feedback from Early-Career Faculty: Speaking with and Surveying Agricultural Faculty Members about Research Data

Objective and Setting: While data management planning becomes more commonplace, moving from planning into implementation remains a hurdle for many researchers. With little specific guidance from funding agencies and libraries in the early stages of developing services to assist researchers, insights into what contributes to successful data management are sorely needed. The objective of this study was to document how a multidisciplinary research team, after consultation with the University of Illinois Library, took steps to implement a data management plan. Design and Methods: A case study was designed to gather insights from the research group through semi-structured interviews. Questions focused on which of the recommended data management strategies were adopted and how those strategies affected the project in terms of cost, time, effectiveness, and long-term data use. Results: From these interviews five major themes emerged as important: intentional staffing, addressing essential data management elements, iterative improvement, training and mentorship, and increased efficiency and peace of mind. Conclusions: Despite the initial investment that data management requires, researchers report significant benefits.

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From Plan to Action: Successful Data Management Plan Implementation in a Multidisciplinary Project

http://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=fpml

Accessing Digital Libraries: A Study of ARL Members' Digital Projects

Making connections with faculty can be challenging for librarians developing new data services programs. In order to identify faculty with a variety of data experiences, the author conducted a review of selected recent publications by sixty-two agricultural faculty members at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. As a follow-up, faculty who had publicly shared data beyond that published in an article were contacted directly to request interviews to discuss data sharing. These active, targeted messages have generated more faculty response than the general data services announcements previously broadcast. Bibliographic studies are a known method for librarians, but using this method to identify faculty candidates for data services represents a new application. The advantages and disadvantages of this approach are discussed.

Sarah C. Williams

Papers

Data sharing interviews with crop sciences faculty: Why they share data and how the library can help

Gathering Feedback from Early-Career Faculty: Speaking with and Surveying Agricultural Faculty Members about Research Data

From Plan to Action: Successful Data Management Plan Implementation in a Multidisciplinary Project

Accessing Digital Libraries: A Study of ARL Members' Digital Projects

Using a Bibliographic Study to Identify Faculty Candidates for Data Services