Shafiq Ur Rehman
@pu.edu.pk
Associate Professor
University of the Punjab
I completed my doctorate in Library and Information Science from the Charles de Gaulle University – Lille III, France, with the highest distinction in 2012. I have more than 24 years of professional, teaching and administrative experience at various universities and academic institutions across different countries such as France, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. I am actively engaged in research and have produced 78 research papers. I have also presented 15 research papers at various national and international conferences. I am an HEC (Higher Education Commission of Pakistan) approved Ph.D. supervisor and am actively involved in teaching as well as supervising postgraduate students. I have provided training in various research tools such as NVIVO, SPSS, AMOS, Endnote, Mendeley, Zotero, RefWorks Turnitin, Biblioshiny, VOSViewer, HistCite, CiteSpace, BibExcel, and have conducted more than 650 workshops and training sessions as a resource person in Pakistan and abroad.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Library service quality, Bibliometrics, Mobile learning, open access. library leadership
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Khalid S. Almulhim, Shafiq Ur Rehman, Saqib Ali, Shakil Ahmad, and Abdul Samad Khan
Wroclaw Medical University
Over the last few years, considerable attention has been devoted to glass fiber-reinforced composites (GFRCs) in the field of dentistry. Glass fiber-reinforced composites are useful in prosthodontics, endodontics, restorative dentistry, orthodontics, and periodontics. This study considered various aspects related to GFRCs to assess the publications and citations on the subject from 1998 to 2022.A bibliometric method of analysis was adopted to conduct the study. The relevant papers published within the established time frame were identified. A document-type filter was applied to retrieve only those results that were peer-reviewed. The most influential authors, journals, institutions, and countries were identified, as indicated by the number of citations, as well as the most frequently used keywords.The findings of the bibliometric analysis revealed that the first article on GFRCs in the context of dentistry was published in 1998. The greatest number of papers on this subject was published in 2011 (n = 51), while the number of citations reached its peak in 2008 (n = 1,546). The University of Turku in Finland published the greatest number of articles, whereas Brazil was the most prolific country, producing the highest number of publications on dental fiber. Researchers from Brazil, Italy and Germany mainly collaborated with researchers from other countries, including the USA and Finland. The analysis revealed that publications of multiple authors were more likely to be cited.Significant advancements have been made in the field of GFRCs, as demonstrated by an increased collaboration amongst different countries, organizations and investigators, which enhanced the development and progression of research related to GFRCs.
Turki Alanzi, Shafiq Ur Rehman, Muhammad Ajmal Khan, and Robert S. H. Istepanian
AME Publishing Company
Background Mobile health (m-Health) is widely acknowledged as a pivotal domain for improving global healthcare and driving its digital health transformation. Despite the vast amount of literature published in recent years, bibliometric studies on m-Health remain limited in scope and coverage. This study presents a comprehensive review of m-Health literature extracted from Scopus and PubMed databases, spanning the period from 1997 to 2023, including publications during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods The combined Scopus and PubMed databases were used in this study. The search formula for the literature retrieval used the most appropriate and relevant keywords to m-Health. The bibliometric data importation, extraction and analysis of authors, titles, publication date, publication place, publisher, volume number, issue number, citation count, document type, author keywords, affiliation were all carried out using the ‘Biblioshiny’, ‘EndNote X9®’, ‘Microsoft Excel®’ and ‘Microsoft Access®’ software tools. Duplicate records were manually identified and removed. Visualization maps illustrating the recurrent keywords, collaboration patterns, and prolific publishing countries were generated using ‘VOSviewer®’. Results A total of 37,470 (20,703 from Scopus and 16,767 from PubMed) publications were selected for the literature analysis. The results provided the definitive literature evidence on the origin of the concept of m-Health in 2003. Significant increase in the publications followed the global surge of smart phones usage in 2007, and the emergence of m-Health applications (Apps) and their global markets and ecosystems. The number of the publications peaked between 2013 and 2022 with most citations in 2022. There was noticeable spike in m-Health literature during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results also showed that most of the highly cited publications, leading institutions, and most prolific authors were predominantly from the developed countries. The USA has the highest number of publications followed by the UK, Australia, Germany, Canada and China, with most of the prolific authors originating from these countries. Conclusions In conclusion, while there has been a remarkable increase in global m-Health publications since 2003, most of the impactful literature and publications in this area originated from selected countries in the developed world. The study indicates a significant disparity between the published literature from developed compared to the developing countries. Addressing this disparity, further bibliographical studies are required to address these and other literature gaps.
Mohammad Nazim, Shafiq Ur Rehman, Abid Iqbal, and Shakil Ahmad
Informa UK Limited
Murtaza Ashiq, Shafiq Ur Rehman, Ammara Yousaf, and Muhammad Safdar
Emerald
Purpose The use of mobile technologies and learning devices has been increasing in every field of life, and library and information sciences are no exception. This study aims to explore the perceptions of library and information science (LIS) students regarding mobile learning (m-learning) along with their primary purposes, social media applications, advantages, disadvantages, barriers, impact and overall satisfaction with using these devices. Design/methodology/approach A survey method was used, and data was collected from the students of 12 library schools in Pakistan for a total sample of 250 students. Findings Their main purposes of usage, their needs, advantages, disadvantages, barriers, impacts and the level of overall satisfaction were also identified. The inferential statistics (t-test and ANOVA) also identified the difference of opinion on the basis of gender, programs, types and number of m-learning devices. Overall, the findings highlight the need for academic libraries to give mobile access (launching mobile applications) to better use library services. To ensure this, libraries must keep an eye on new advances in mobile technology, researchers’ needs and related electronic library services and observe how these services are being used. Practical implications Theoretical and practical implications have been highlighted to understand the perceptions of LIS students about m-learning devices. Originality/value The mobile library service providers and management need to improve their services by offering services that fit the diverse needs of their users and should know how to attract modern library users.
Murtaza Ashiq, Shafiq Ur Rehman, Naved Ahmad, Ibrahim Atoum, Mohammad Aqil, and Shakil Ahmad
SAGE Publications
This bibliometric study investigates the publishing trends and patterns along with top authors, countries, organizations, nature of collaboration, and sub-areas of library leadership literature published from 1959 to 2022. The Scopus database was used for data extraction, and 500 relevant records were selected. The data were analyzed using Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, VOSviewer, Biblioshiny, and CiteSpace software. The results highlighted that the United States of America was a global trendsetter in library leadership research, being the top contributing country (313, 62.6% publications). They also identified the top productive author (Martin, J.), top-cited author (Ole Pors, N), top organization (University of Punjab, Pakistan), most preferable sources (Journal of Library Administration) and top-cited article (“Supporting Digital Scholarship in Research Libraries: Scalability and Sustainability” by Vinopal J). The highest research productivity was recorded in 2019, with 42 publications (8.4%), followed by 37 (7.4%) publications in 2018 and 2021. Furthermore, 270 publications (54%) on library leadership were published during the last decade (2011–2020). This study informed that most of the published literature on library leadership was general, following a solo authorship trend (314), with less collaborative research ( n = 186) and a significant number ( n = 148) of non-cited documents. The critical areas of future research identified in this study, including transformational, ethical, participative, and humanistic leadership, need to be investigated. The study suggests that emerging digital and virtual leadership areas should also be examined along with the areas with limited literature. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive bibliometric study to present a holistic picture of the library leadership literature.
Nadeem Siddique, Shafiq Ur Rehman, Shakil Ahmad, Khalid Mahmood, Muhammad Ajmal Khan, Hafiz Muhammad Adil, Abid Iqbal, and Asif Altaf
SAGE Publications
Women LIS researchers in Pakistan have been publishing their research since 1977. This paper provides a bibliometric analysis of the 43 years (1977–2020) of their research. This study conducted a bibliometric analysis of the data collected from four data sources, the Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, LISA, and LISTA, to include the maximum number of scholarly publications by women Pakistani LIS researchers working in Pakistan or abroad. The study findings highlighted an upward trend in publications since 1977. It appears to have gathered momentum after the year 2003. The University of the Punjab was the top-ranked organization in publishing research by woman LIS researchers, and the Department of Information Management at the University of the Punjab was identified as being the most prolific in this regard. The researchers had published over 40% of their research in national journals and the rest in international journals of good repute. Kanwal Ameen led the list of woman researchers with over 100 research publications to her name. The main areas of research were academic libraries, information literacy, and evolving trends in LIS. This is the first research paper highlighting the different dimensions of Pakistani LIS women researchers since they started publishing in 1977. The findings of the study would help future researchers to understand trends and various bibliometric aspects of publications originating from women LIS researchers in Pakistan. The findings could also help LIS researchers and funding organizations in promoting the profession.
Muhammad Safdar, Shafiq Ur Rehman, Muhammad Arif, and Murtaza Ashiq
Emerald
Purpose The purpose of this paper was to systematically collect and review all studies which have been conducted on research data services in libraries across the globe. Design/methodology/approach Six world-renowned scholarly databases were searched and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were used for the identification and selection of eligible studies. The studies were then assessed using a well-renowned framework for the quality assessment of research studies. Findings The results revealed that the libraries were engaged in providing different types of research data services such as identification, acquisition, management and preservation of research data. They also arranged training programs, supported the publishing and sharing of data and dealt with the licensing and copyright issues related to data. Research limitations/implications The results of this study would be helpful for researchers and organizations, especially those engaged in educational activities, in understanding the current scenario of research data services in the world libraries. Furthermore, the findings offer valuable insights to library professionals regarding the types of research support services available globally. This would enable them to play an integral role in planning, designing and implementing such services in their libraries. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind that systematically collects and reviews the literature on research data services in libraries worldwide.
Khalid Mahmood, Shafiq Ur Rehman, and Murtaza Ashiq
Emerald
PurposeThis research study is conducted to thoroughly investigate the users' expectations for excellent library service quality (LSQ) from college libraries. It will also identify whether there is any difference in the desired library service quality among different type of users, gender and academic discipline.Design/methodology/approachA survey method was used, and the data were collected from 998 respondents, which included faculty members, masters, bachelor's and intermediate students. In order to conduct the study, LibQUAL + instrument were adapted.FindingsThe results demonstrated that the users expected a higher level of services from the college libraries of Pakistan. The highest desired expectation of the users were related to “library as a place (LP)” dimension, while the lowest expectation was with regards to the “information control (IC)” dimension. The results indicated a significant difference among the various types of users and academic disciplines regarding their expectations with library services.Practical implicationsThe appointment of college librarians against nearly 500 vacant posts would significantly improve the LSQ in these libraries. The result of the study would indeed be useful for the college administration, librarians the Government of the Punjab and the Punjab Higher Education Commission (HEC) for future planning, improvement of services and allocation of resources.Originality/valueThis study is the first in-depth effort into investigating the LSQ of the college libraries of the Punjab, Pakistan. This study will be helpful to understand the LSQ from developing countries’ perspective.
Saqib Ali, Beenish Fatima Alam, Shafiq Ur Rehman, Shakil Ahmad, Kefi Iqbal, and Imran Farooq
Elsevier BV
Nadeem Siddique, Shafiq Ur Rehman, Shakil Ahmad, Akhtar Abbas, and Muhammad Ajmal Khan
Emerald
Purpose This study aims to investigate the research productivity of library and information science (LIS) authors affiliated with the 22 countries of the Arab League. It also identifies the top countries, organizations, authors, journals, natures of collaboration, and frequently used keywords in LIS research in the Arab world. Design/methodology/approach Bibliometric methods were used to evaluate the research performance of the authors affiliated with library organizations in the Arab region. The Elsevier Scopus database was selected for data retrieval. A comprehensive search strategy was adopted to retrieve 863 publications contributed by LIS authors affiliated with the Arab countries. VOS viewer, Biblioshiny, BiblioAnalyitics, Microsoft Access and Microsoft Excel were used for data visualization and analysis. Findings This paper presents the dynamics and the state of the LIS research in the Arab region published between 1951 and 2021. The results of the study have highlighted an upward trend in the growth of the publications, especially in the past four years. The largest number of studies were published in the year 2020. The country-wise analysis ranked Kuwait and Saudi Arabia as the top LIS research producing countries with five and four researchers, respectively. The Kuwait University, the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals and the Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University were the three most productive organizations. Academic libraries, social media, bibliometrics, information-seeking behavior, information literacy and knowledge management were identified as the major areas of interest for the researchers. Internet and open access were topics that had gained recent popularity, while the digital library, research data management, green librarianship, link data, cloud computing, library leadership, library automation and artificial intelligence were identified as areas requiring further attention. Furthermore, the single-author pattern was found to be the most preferred pattern. Practical implications The findings of this study would help prospective researchers in choosing the neglected areas of research that require further investigation. They would also help policymakers in identifying factors that need more attention and allocation of research funds. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first comprehensive bibliometric study that presents a holistic picture of the LIS research in the Arab region.
Bashir Tijjani, Shafiq Ur Rehman, Zachariah Peter, Ishtiaq Ahmad Bajwa, and Muhammad Ajmal Khan
Emerald
Purpose This study aims to examine the quantitative research productivity of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) globally by using the bibliometric approach. The method was applied to articles indexed in the Scopus database to analyze the publication patterns, trends and research productivity of the selected papers. Design/methodology/approach Bibliometric analysis is applied to analyze research productivity of IFRS from 2003 to 2020. The method was applied to articles indexed in the Scopus database to analyze the publication patterns and research productivity of the selected papers. Findings This study finds that a good number of articles have been published on IFRS, the top five countries are the USA, UK, Australia, Germany and Canada. This clearly shows that developed markets have the highest number of publications on IFRS. This could be as a result of the early adoption of IFRS by those economies and owing to the interest of researchers in those markets. Most of the studies are quantitative in nature; this study indicates that publication on accounting standards is popular as the number of citations is significant; most of the articles have two or more authors and were published in top-ranking journals. Practical implications This study provides up-to-date literature on the global research productivity of IFRS; as a result, it supports the development of policies by the users of this accounting standards. The findings of this study also serve as a reference point for firms and regulators around the world. Given the thoroughness of the methodology of this study, the results make it easier to effectively identify the direction of research on the implementation of IFRS in organizations. Originality/value This study provides a more comprehensive bibliometric analysis on the growth of IFRS literature (2003–2020) in the Scopus database; most of the prior studies have covered relatively few areas of focus as well as a fewer number of high impact factor journals. The relevance of this finding is in uncovering different areas of IFRS research productivity globally.
Muhammad Safdar, Shafiq Ur Rehman, Ammara Yousaf, and Murtaza Ashiq
Emerald
Purpose This paper is a systematic review that aims to collect and review studies on library users’ smartphone use to access library services and resources. Another objective of the systematic review is to identify the challenges and benefits (reported in the reviewed literature) regarding using smartphones to access library resources and services. Design/methodology/approach The researchers searched the relevant literature from four databases: Scopus, Library and Information Science Technology Abstracts, Web of Science and Google Scholar. A total of 20 studies were selected, out of the 2,416 retrieved titles, for review in light of the PRISMA guidelines. This systematic review also used the quality assessment guidelines of Boynton and Greenhalgh (2004), to analyze the quality of the publications reviewed in the study. Findings The results highlighted that library users used smartphones to access a wide range of library services, including directions help, fresh arrivals, library news notifications, room and course reservations, library account management, circulation and the Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC). The libraries offered their users multiple mobile-supported services related to searching for resources and account management. The challenges, as well as the benefits associated with the use of smartphones for accessing and using library services, have also been reported. Most reviewed studies scored high (9–13 out of 13) in the quality assessment. Research limitations/implications This research has some limitations. First, only the English-language research studies were included in the review. Therefore, it is possible that a significant study conducted in a language other than English was missed. Second, researchers performed a comprehensive search to collect the maximum number of relevant studies; there is a chance that an important study was missed during the search and retrieval process. Practical implications This research fills the research gap by advancing the literature on mobile device use for accessing library services and resources. The findings might help library professionals understand the current trends in accessing library services through smartphones. This also helps them plan the latest mobile-supported library services to meet the ever-changing demands of library users. Policymakers could also benefit from this research, as it could help them understand current trends in library services and facilitate them in making appropriate policies, funding allocations and implementing mobile services in libraries. Social implications The researchers found that the use of mobile phones to access library services and resources impacts society in a discernible way. It provides a rich environment as users access a wide range of library services, including directions help, fresh arrivals, library news notifications, room and course reservations, library account management, circulation and the OPAC without any hindrances or hurdles. Originality/value This is the first review, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, that has systematically collected and reviewed the literature on the topic under study. This study also shares the theoretical and practical implications of the research and future research directions for researchers.
Murtaza Ashiq, Shafiq Ur Rehman, and Nosheen Fatima Warraich
Emerald
Purpose Equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDIA) are the core values of librarianship. This study aims to examine the EDIA literature in the library and information science (LIS) profession, focusing on publishing trends, authorship patterns, thematic evolution, co-occurrence network, international collaboration network and three-factor analysis. Design/methodology/approach A scientometrics analysis was performed, and data were retrieved from the Web of Science database following a four-phase data extraction and filtration process. Data analysis was performed using specialized scientometrics tools. Findings Most of the published work comes from the developed world. The thematic evolution identified that the initial period (1971–2010) was dedicated to the diversity of library resources, services and users. The second phase (2011–2015) concentrated on accessibility and information literacy. The recent period (2016–2021) is linked with social inclusion, diversity and accessibility. Furthermore, the co-cluster citation and content analysis identified five major interconnected streams in the EDIA literature in LIS: disability and accessibility; diversity, inclusion and recruitment; social justice and libraries; libraries and immigrants; and libraries and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, queer community. Research limitations/implications Theoretical, practical and implications for policy makers and curriculum developers were added to create awareness and better observe EDIA in LIS field. Originality/value The identification of research streams is one of the most important findings of this study, which shows that some areas of EDIA are maturing and others are emerging in the profession.
Rozeen Shaukat, Shakil Ahmad, Muhammad Asif Naveed, and Shafiq Ur Rehman
SAGE Publications
This study examined the impact of personality traits on the knowledge sharing behavior of academicians in the public sector. The data were collected from 237 respondents using a questionnaire. The results showed that the personality trait openness to experience had a significant and positive impact on the knowledge sharing behavior and its sub-dimensions such as written contributions, organizational communication, personal interactions, and communities of practice. Furthermore, the personality traits extraversion and agreeableness positively predicted the knowledge sharing behavior for the dimensions of communities of practice and organizational communication, respectively. The results of this study would be helpful for the administrative staff of universities to develop programs to promote a knowledge sharing culture in universities and improve collaborative learning, research, organizational effectiveness, and performance. It would also be a worthy contribution to the existing literature as only a limited number of studies have addressed the role of personality traits in the knowledge sharing behaviors in the academic environment of a non-western country.
Khalid Almas, Shakil Ahmad, Shafiq Ur Rehman, Shakil Ahmad, Faisal Aljofi, and Allauddin Siddiqi
Elsevier BV
Najla Taslim, Shakil Ahmad, Shafiq Ur Rehman, Amal Turikham Alghamdi, Hussain Anwar H Alkatheri, Abid Iqbal, and Akira Jbeen
SAGE Publications
This study aims to chart and review the unexplored transgender research portfolio of Muslim countries using bibliometric method. Data retrieved from the Scopus database were analyzed using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, Biblioshiny, and ScientoPy software. It was found that barring Turkey and Iran, transgender research has been minimal in most Muslim countries. The collective productivity is gradually but surely rising. Around 84% of the publications have been collaborative efforts. The keyword analysis revealed that gender dysphoria, human immunodeficiency virus, LGBT, and vaginoplasty were the most frequently used keywords. The socio-economic circumstances of the transgender community are generally deplorable in most Muslim nations. Overall, there is a dire need for high-quality multifaceted transgender research in the Muslim world to raise general awareness. Resolving disputes on gender dysphoria or sex reassignment surgeries and reinstating the social rights of the transgender community should be the utmost priority of future research in Muslim countries.
Ishtiaq Ahmad Bajwa, Shafiq Ur Rehman, Abid Iqbal, Zaheer Anwar, Murtaza Ashiq, and Muhammad Ajmal Khan
SAGE Publications
This study has conducted a meta-literature review examining the past, present and possible future trends of Fintech research using 360 selected articles published between 2006 and June 2020. Both quantitative and qualitative techniques were applied. In the quantitative approach, a bibliometric citation analysis using HistCite and VOSviewer software was conducted and the qualitative analysis covered the identification of four main research streams related to (i) Bitcoin and digital currency, (ii) crowdfunding, (iii) mobile payment, and (iv) blockchain. The study results highlight the most influential aspects of the FinTech literature, such as the leading countries, institutions, journals, authors, and articles. Suggestions for the potential future direction of FinTech literature have also been made.
Akira Jbeen, Shafiq Ur Rehman, and Khalid Mahmood
Emerald
Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the level of awareness, use and attitudes of students regarding e-books. Design/methodology/approach This study used a quantitative research design based on the survey method. A structured questionnaire was designed and used for data collection from four different universities of Pakistan. A total of 305 responses were collected from a sample of 400, and 303 of those responses were used for data analysis. Findings The results of this study indicated that students were aware of e-books and used them in their daily lives. Most of the respondents had a positive attitude towards e-books and indicated that they considered e-books are easy to find and support them in their assignments. Online features of e-books were important to them. There was a significant difference of opinion found among students of different disciplines regarding the use of e-books. Research limitations/implications This study was limited to four disciplines in four universities, one discipline per university. Therefore, its findings may not be applied to other universities or other disciplines. Practical implications This paper offers a new idea to academic libraries related to purchasing e-books. This study will provide guidelines to information professionals for development of their e-book collection and implementation of innovative approaches in library services or e-books services to facilitate their users according to their need. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study on the level of awareness, use and attitudes of university students towards e-books in Pakistan.
Shakil Ahmad, Inaam Ullah Qureshi, Muhammad Ramzan, and Shafiq Ur Rehman
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Nazeer Hussain, Shafiq Ur Rehman, Kanwal Ameen, and Muhammad Safdar
Emerald
Purpose Researchers’ competencies are directly related to the quality and effectiveness of the research they produce. However, training opportunities for education and conducting research seem to be limited for the growing research culture in Pakistan. The purpose of this study is to assess the research-related training needs of postgraduate researchers (PGRs) of Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research approach was used to conduct the study using a questionnaire. Non-random sampling technique was used to collect the data from the postgraduate (MPhil/MS and PhD) researchers enrolled in the two well renowned Pakistani Universities. Findings Results of the study confirmed that PGRs were interested in developing their skills in various areas of a research project such as topic selection, research design and use of data analysis software. Findings also highlighted that respondents were interested in learning reference management tools for citing and managing the sources of information in their research work. Originality/value This is the first study, which investigated the training needs assessment of PGRs enrolled in two major Pakistani universities. The results may help in designing training programs, promoting a conducive research culture in the country and improving the quality of research being produced. This study provided a framework likely to be beneficial for quality enhancement cells, universities and organizations in organizing effective research training and development programs for researchers of Pakistan.
Murtaza Ashiq, Shafiq Ur Rehman, Dilnaz Muneeb, and Shakil Ahmad
Emerald
Purpose This study aims to examine the publishing and citation trends on library service quality (LSQ) in the past five decades (1972–2020). Additionally, this bibliometric study investigates the top authors, countries, organizations, journals, nature of collaboration, highly cited articles and LSQ sub-areas. Design/methodology/approach Bibliometric analysis has been used to extract data from the Scopus and Web of Science (WOS) databases. A comprehensive search strategy was devised to extract relevant data from both data sources. Finally, 341 Scopus and 212 WOS records were selected. Data analysis has been performed using VOS viewer software, Biblioshiny, Cite Space and Excel. Findings It was found that a total of 443 items were published in Scopus (n = 341) and WOS (n = 212) during this period. The largest number of studies were published in the year 2019 (n = 29), and the USA was found to be the most productive country, with the most productive organizations, authors and author collaborations. The Texas A&M University in Texas, USA, had the top three most productive authors (Cook C, Thompson B and Heath F) and was the most productive organization. The Performance Measurement and Metrics Journal is on the top of the list. The single author was the prevailing authorship pattern, followed by the two-authors pattern. The most collaborating countries were identified as the UK, Japan, Spain and Bangladesh. The keyword analysis informed that the published literature on LSQ mainly concentrated on academic libraries, Therefore, there is a need further to examine other types of libraries including public, national, special libraries. Originality/value To the best of the knowledge, this seems to be the first comprehensive bibliometric study that combined productivity and citations, citation impact to present a holistic picture of the LSQ literature.
Farida Saleem, Wafa AlNasrallah, Muhammad Imran Malik, and Shafiq Ur Rehman
Frontiers Media SA
This descriptive study was conducted to evaluate the factors affecting the quality of online learning of Pakistani students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Developing economies such as Pakistan present a unique context to online education as there is limited access to technology, ITC services, and the internet for the general public. This paper integrates the factors affecting the online learning process of students while taking the situational factors as a boundary condition (moderating variable). Data were collected through a Appendix Questionnaire administered to students studying in different universities in Pakistan. Stepwise linear regression and PROCESS Macro by Hayes (2013) was used for data analysis. Results revealed that university support, instructors’ support, and motivational factors predicted the quality of online learning. The situational factors negatively influenced the relationship of instructors’ support and motivational factors and the quality of online learning. University support and the quality of online learning relationships were not moderated by situational factors.
Sheikh Shueb, Sumeer Gul, Nahida Tun Nisa, Taseen Shabir, Shafiq Ur Rehman, and Aabid Hussain
Emerald
PurposeThe purpose of the study is to map the funding status of COVID-19 research. The various aspects, such as funding ratio, geographical distribution of funded articles, journals publishing funded research and institutions that sponsor the COVID-19 research are studied. To visualize the country collaboration network and research trends/hotspots in the field of COVID-19 funded research, keyword analysis is also performed. The open-access (OA) status of the funded research on COVID-19 is also discussed.Design/methodology/approachThe leading indexing and abstracting database, i.e. Web of Science (WoS), was used to retrieve the funded articles published on the topic COVID-19. The scientometric approach, more particularly “funding acknowledgment analysis (FAA),” was used to study the research funding.FindingsA total of 5,546 publications of varied nature have been published on COVID-19, of which 1,760 are funded, thus indicating a funding ratio of 32%. China is the leading producer of funded research (760, 43.182%) on COVID-19 followed by the USA (482, 27.386%), England (179, 10.17%), Italy (119, 6.761%), Germany (107, 6.08%) and Canada (107, 6.08%). China is also in lead in terms of the funding ratio (60.94%). However, the funding ratio of the USA (31.54%) is at 11th rank behind Canada (40.68%), Germany (34.18%) and England (35.87%). The USA occupies a central position in the collaboration network having the highest score of articles with other countries (n = 489), with the USA–China collaboration ranking first (n = 123). National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) is the largest source of funding for COVID-19 research, supporting 342 (19.432%) publications, followed by the United States Department of Health Human Services (DHHS) and National Institute of Health (NIH), USA with 211 (11.989%) and 200 (11.364%) publications, respectively. However, China's National Key Research and Development Program achieves the highest citation impact (80.24) for its funded publications. Journal of Medical Virology, Science of the Total Environment and EuroSurveillance are the three most prolific journals publishing 63 (3.58%), 35 (1.989%) and 32 (1.818%), respectively, of the sponsored research articles on the COVID-19. A total of 3,138 institutions produce funded articles with Huazhong University of Science Technology and Wuhan University from China at the forefront publishing 92 (5.227%) and 83 (4.716%) publications, respectively. The funded research on COVID-19 is largely available in OA mode (1,674, 95.11%) and mainly through the Green and Bronze routes. The keyword clustering reveals that the articles mainly focus on the impact, structure and clinical characteristics of the virus.Research limitations/implicationsThe study's main limitation is that the results are based on the publications indexed by WoS, which has limited coverage compared to other databases. Moreover, all the funding agencies do not require or authors miss to acknowledge funding sources in their publications, which ultimately undermines the number of funded publications. The research publications on COVID-19 are also proliferating; thus, the study's findings shall be valid for a minimum period.Practical implicationsThe funding of research on the COVID-19 is highly essential to accelerate innovative research and help countries fight against the global pandemic. The study's findings reflect the efforts made by nations and institutions to remove the financial and accessibility hurdles. It not only underscores the lead of the USA in the research on COVID-19, but also shows China as a forerunner in sponsoring the research, thus, helping to know the contribution of nations toward understanding the dynamics of pandemic and controlling it. The study will help healthcare practitioners and policymakers recognize the areas that remain the focus of sponsored research on COVID-19 and other left-out areas that need to be taken up and thus may help in policy formulation. It further highlights the impact of prolific funding agencies so that efforts may be initiated to increase the impact and thereby the returns of investment. The study can help to map the scientific structure of COVID-19 through the lens of funded research and recognize core inclinations of its development. Overall, a comprehensive analysis has been performed to present the detailed characteristics of sponsored research on emerging area of COVID-19, and it is informative, useful and one of its kind on the theme.Originality/valueThe study explores the funding support of research on COVID-19 and its other aspects, along with the mode of availability.
Saad Arslan Iqbal, Murtaza Ashiq, Shafiq Ur Rehman, Shaista Rashid, and Namra Tayyab
MDPI AG
This study investigates the perceptions and experiences of students regarding the various aspects of online education while studying at the Pakistani Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) and universities that shifted to online modes of instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. The focus of this study was to identify the level of satisfaction of students with the support being provided to them by their institutes and instructors; the use of different modes of communication and assessment methods; and their home study environment. It also explored the positively and negatively influencing factors affecting online education, as perceived by them. An online questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey research design was chosen for conducting this study. Data were collected from 707 respondents belonging to various Pakistani HEIs and universities and analyzed using the SPSS software. The results revealed a considerable dissatisfaction among the study population regarding online education being provided to them during the COVID pandemic. The participants raised concerns over the lack of institutional support and the quality of online instruction. Other issues raised included unsuitable study environments, unavailability of electricity, and connectivity issues. Overall, the majority of the students indicated that they would not like to opt for online classes in the future once the pandemic was over.
Abdul S. Khan, Shafiq Ur Rehman, Shakil Ahmad, Yara K. AlMaimouni, Manar A. S. Alzamil, and Paul M. H. Dummer
Wiley
AIM
The International Endodontic Journal (IEJ) has served as a platform for research and clinical practice in Endodontics since 1967. This study provides a bibliographic analysis and overview of the publications that have appeared in the IEJ from 1967-2020.
METHODOLOGY
A literature search was performed in Elsevier's Scopus database to locate all the publications of the International Endodontic Journal. Various bibliometric software packages including the open-source visualization software Gephi and Biblioshiny (version 2.0) were employed for data visualisation and analysis.
RESULTS
A total of 3739 records with citation and bibliographic details were selected and retrieved to allow a bibliometric analysis to be performed. The bibliometric analysis indicates that the IEJ has grown both in terms of productivity and influence. Over time, the journal has been associated with an increase in the number of manuscripts published and the citations they have attracted, but with minor downward fluctuations in citations in the last few years. Bibliographic coupling of the IEJ articles revealed that the major research themes published in the journal include "endodontics", "root canal treatment", "calcium hydroxide", "apical periodontitis", "mineral trioxide aggregate", "microbiology", "cyclic fatigue", "cone-beam computed tomography", and "micro-computed tomography". Authors affiliated to institutions in the UK were the major contributors to the journal and linked with other countries such as Brazil, United States, and Malaysia. The largest number of publications were from the University of São Paulo, Brazil.
CONCLUSION
The IEJ is one of the leading journals in Endodontology and has been providing a platform for innovative research and clinical reports for more than 50 years. Publications have been associated with a wide range of authors, institutions, and countries around the world.