Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD Student, Knowledge and Information Science, Department of Knowledge and Information Science, School of Psychology and Education Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz AND BSc, Iran Public Libraries Foundation, Khorramabad, Iran

2 PhD, Knowledge and Information Science, Department of Knowledge and Information Science, School of Literature and Humanities, University of Lorestan, Khorramabad, Iran

3 Associate Professor, Medical Librarianship and Information Sciences, Health Information Technology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Introduction: ResearchGate is one of the first social networks aims to foster collaboration and communication between researchers and their readers. The goal of the present research was to study the degree of presence of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences researchers in ResearchGate.Methods: The current study was a survey research using altmetrics data. The data of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and its researchers were loaded through ResearchGate social network in February 2015. Then, the data were analyzed based on indicators ResearchGate score, total publications, total impact, loads, and views and descriptive statistics.Results: 947 of the researchers in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences had joined and loaded 2984 scientific works in ReseachGate. In addition, School of Medicine was the most active school with 659 active researchers and 200 scientific works. Moreover, in terms of the number of researchers, Department of Pediatrics was known as the most active department with 237 researchers.Conclusion: Despite the great number of university researchers in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences which is one of the great universities of Iran, the results showed that the amount of researchers’ presence in ResearchGate is relatively low. This may indicate the researchers’ limited use of ResearchGate network facilities.

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