Citation analysis of doctoral theses in botany submitted to Kuvempu University, India: a case study

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the materials cited in doctoral theses of botany, submitted to the Kuvempu University during the years 2000‐2006, with the aim of improving the existing collection development of the library.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employed descriptive research design. Theses submitted for the award of Doctoral degree from 2000 to 2006 to the Department of Botany, Kuvempu University were examined. The population of the study was all the theses submitted during the periods under study. Data were extracted from title page and references given at the end of each chapter. Extracted data were analysed using statistics.

Findings

The study reveals that journals are the most preferred sources of information used by the researchers in the field of botany, accounting for 74.77 per cent of total citations, although citations from books, proceedings, theses, reports and patents are also found. It is also observed those researchers are not taking much advantage of internet resources. The journal Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (USA) was ranked the first, with 158 citations, accounting for 7.57 per cent of the total journal citations. Further, Bradford's law of scattering was applied. It is observed that major citations come from journal literature. In addition, more cited materials were contributed by multi authors and degree of collaboration is 0.75.

Research limitations/implications

The paper presents a sense of the importance of botany research, and as such informs that community, as well as researchers involved in citation analysis.

Originality/value

The outcome of the study is an original research work with citation analysis of doctoral theses in botany. It highlights the information materials available and used by researchers of the Botany Department for their research work and those which need to be added for a healthy collection.

Citation

Banateppanvar, K., Biradar, B.S. and Kannappanavar, B.U. (2013), "Citation analysis of doctoral theses in botany submitted to Kuvempu University, India: a case study", Collection Building, Vol. 32 No. 1, pp. 12-21. https://doi.org/10.1108/01604951311295058