Author: Marié Roux (Page 2 of 19)

Beyond the citation: Unveiling the “invisible Impact” of SUNScholarData

In the traditional academic landscape, a researcher’s contribution is often measured by a single metric: the citation. Stellenbosch University’s open-access data repository, SUNScholarData, however, is revealing a massive layer of “invisible impact” that traditional metrics fail to capture. Since its launch in August 2019, the platform has amassed 215 848 views (of which 170 428 were from the USA, with South Africa being the second largest number of viewers with 8 597) and 47 628 downloads, yet it shows only 29 formal citations. This staggering discrepancy could suggest that datasets are being utilised as practical, real-world tools rather than just subjects for further academic papers. It is important to note that the possible applications of the case studies outlined below constitute conjecture and that there is no evidence that this may be the true cause for the high number of downloads, but low level of citations.

The Utility vs Research Gap

The analysis of SUNScholarData’s most popular records suggests that high engagement often signals “research utility”. Users may be downloading data to calibrate industry tools, train AI models, or inform government policy – activities that rarely result in a formal citation in a peer-reviewed journal.

Case Study 1: AI for the People

The most downloaded dataset on the platform is the Curated dataset and shortlist of AI use cases for the South African government (2025), which has reached 6,511 downloads despite having zero citations. Linked to the Policy Innovation Lab briefing note, A Catalogue of Artificial Intelligence Tools for Use by South African Policymakers (2024), this dataset serves as a practical guide for the public sector. Its high download rate may suggest that government officials and digital entrepreneurs are using it as a blueprint for deploying AI in public services, such as monitoring physical processes or automating administrative tasks. As this was a report rather than an academic publication, there are no impactful metrics to compare the publication with the dataset.

Case Study 2: Saving Lives through Fire Science

The 20 Dwelling informal settlement experiment (2020) provides a critical dataset for understanding fire spread in dense urban environments. With 2,965 downloads and 0 citations, this data—which includes sensor logs and high-resolution images—is possibly being used by disaster management authorities and urban planners. Associated with the research paper 20 Dwelling Large-Scale Experiment of Fire Spread in Informal Settlements (2020), it offers the raw evidence needed to design safer settlement layouts and “fire lines,” providing impact that is measured in lives saved rather than papers published. The article has received 1,452 views, an Altmetric score of 42, and has received 41 citations, which points to a high impact and may explain why the associated dataset has received such attention, but it still begs the question why the data has not received any citations.

Other high-performing datasets show strong ties to industry and education. Here is one example:

Pine Stand Nitrogen Mineralisation (2020): With 3,832 views and 622 downloads, this data provides a decision-support system to prevent wasteful fertiliser applications in the Eastern and Western Cape. Its impact may be related to its contribution as an operational utility for foresters and plantation managers. The associated publication, Modelling soil nitrogen mineralisation in semi-mature pine stands of South Africa to identify nutritional limitations and to predict potential responses to fertilisation (2020), has received 1,918 views, 3 citations, and an Altmetric score of 5. The relatively low impact of the article, compared with the attention the dataset has received, seems to point to a lack of appropriate recognition of the researchers who contributed to this work in further research, but does seem to indicate a high level of practical application.

High-Intent Discovery: The Traffic Monitoring Case

One of the most intriguing records is the Summary of South African Traffic monitoring data (1994-2006) (2023). It holds the highest visibility on the platform with 4,660 views, but 0 downloads. This is because the underlying files are hosted externally and have restricted access, seemingly indicating that SUNScholarData can be a critical discovery layer.

The data was collected by Mikros Traffic Monitoring (Pty) Ltd. All traffic data collected for these clients is kept in an Oracle database for easy access and distribution, with some records dating back to 1994. The objective of this specific record on SUNScholarData is to describe the quantity and characteristics of the available data for potential use in Centre for Invasion Biology (CIB) research projects. The high view count indicates significant latent interest from professional parties who likely contacted the researchers directly to request access for regional infrastructure planning or environmental analysis.

Conclusion: Deciphering the Impact Gap

The statistics from SUNScholarData provide a compelling look at how research outputs are being consumed, but the staggering difference between 47 628 downloads and a mere 29 citations presents a complex puzzle. While the case studies explored in this article suggest that datasets are being utilised as practical, real-world tools, it must be emphasised that these practical applications remain a form of conjecture.

A deeper, more granular analysis is required to accurately pinpoint the reasons behind this low level of formal citations. Engagement metrics may be inflated by users who download the data but never actually use it, or perhaps they lack the specific technical expertise required to apply the findings to their own projects. Other potential reasons for this “citation gap” could include the use of data in internal commercial environments, private industry testing, or policy documents that are not indexed by traditional academic databases.

Nonetheless, the massive volume of views and downloads for high-utility assets – such as AI policy catalogues and fire spread models – continues to point toward a significant potential for real-world application and utility. Whether these datasets are being used to inform a new municipal safety strategy or simply to calibrate an industry tool, the engagement suggests that SUNScholarData is performing a vital role as a national asset. Bridging the gap between a download and a proven application will be the next step in understanding the true reach of Stellenbosch University’s research data.

Author: Kirchner van Deventer

Did you know – The manuscript collections in Special Collections are searchable on the library catalogue and on SUNDigital Collections

The Manuscript collections in Special Collections are searchable on the library catalogue and on SUNDigital Collections. In the catalogue you can search for a topic and limit your publication type to “Manuscript “. See the example below:

Search the catalogue for “Maggie Laubser”

This will give you a description of what is in the manuscript collection.

To find more detailed information you can use the “Finding Aids”. The link will take you to a searchable PDF on SUNDigital Collections  – Finding Aids

Click on Collection Index

Enquiries: Marieta Buys

Unity Movement Collection launched at SU Library

A valuable collection of documents on the history of The Non-European Unity Movement (NEUM), The New Unity Movement (NUM), The Anti-C.A.D. Movement and All Africa Convention, (collectively named the Unity Movement Collection) was launched on 22 May 2026. The launch included an exhibition of Unity Movement documentary heritage.

Following discussions between Ms Ellen Tise, Senior Director of the SU Library and Information Services, and Dr Basil Brown, President of the New Unity Movement (NUM), the comprehensive collection of documentary material was donated to the Manuscripts Section, Special Collections, SU Library and Information Service in June 2023. The project to sort and catalogue this extensive collection commenced in March 2024.

The NUM was launched in 1985 and can be seen as the successor to the NEUM, dedicated and committed to its founding principles and policies. One of the most important principles of the NUM was that of non-racialism and the importance of human rights.

“The significance of this collection lies not only in documenting the history of the New Unity Movement, but also in contributing to a broader understanding of South Africa’s political, social, economic, and educational history,” explains Ellen Tise. “As a body of primary sources, it enables more nuanced and balanced research within the Special Collections of Stellenbosch University Library and Information Service.”

From left are Basil Brown, Leslie van Rooi, Ellen Tise, Pakama Ncume, Shaun Viljoen, Allan Zinn, Mickey Titus, Felicity Titus, Nico Koopman, Lungisile Ntsebeza, Mimi Seyffert-Wirth, Lincoln Jacobs and Denise Zinn.

The collection includes correspondence, constitutions, policies, financial statements, minutes of meetings, conference proceedings, memoranda, newsletters, notebooks, photographs and various publications, including journals.

Noteworthy are “A Call to Unity” – a manifesto adopted by the Executive of the AAC on 26 August 1943, calling for unity among oppressed groups and contributing to the formation of the Non-European Unity Movement (NEUM); Minutes of the 1st Unity Conference (17 December 1943), where the Draft Declaration of Unity was accepted and the Ten Point Programme was adopted as the basis of unity; A document outlining what the NEUM stands for; and a letter to Nelson Mandela on the question of organisational unity in South Africa by I.B. Tabata (June 1948).

The collection has been organised into categories to enhance accessibility for researchers and a detailed inventory of the collection will be available soon to help researchers navigate the rich research material.

An exhibition of the collection may be viewed in the SU Library in front of the Learning Commons and a recording of the launch event, which included an informative panel discussion is available here.

The collection will be housed alongside other manuscript collections focusing on apartheid-era legislation and policy which provide important contextual support. These related collections include the Frederik van Zyl Slabbert Collection, Institute for Democratic Alternatives in South Africa (IDASA) Collection, the South African Debt Crisis (1985–1986) Collection and the Willie Adams Collection.

Read another article about the launch of this collection here.

 

 

 

 

 

Author: Mimi Seyffert-Wirth

New staff in research-related divisions of the Library

Recently three new staff members were appointed in different research-related divisions of the Library. We would like to welcome the following staff members warmly and wish them all the best:

Dr Lynn Kleinveldt has been appointed as Manager: Carnegie Research Commons at Stellenbosch University Library, with effect from 01 June 2026. Her responsibilities include strategic planning and management of the Research Commons and postgraduate support services; managing, coordinating and presenting research support workshops. She has 19 years of experience working in academic libraries and seven years of experience in academia.

Before joining Stellenbosch University, Dr. Kleinveldt was the Co-head of Department and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Information Studies at the University of the Fraser Valley in Canada. In this position, she played a vital role in building internal and external partnerships and took the lead in incorporating cutting-edge technology into the Library and Information Technology curriculum. She strives towards bridging theory and practice in library and information science, with a focus on “literacies of the digital”, ethical information use, and the strategic development of user experience, teaching and learning and research support services in higher education.

Dr. Kleinveldt’s research explores the evolving role of academic libraries in supporting teaching and learning, scholarly communication and research. Her doctoral study investigated how libraries serve the research needs of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering scholars at two universities, the gaps between researcher expectations and library services, and the professional identity of faculty librarians in research support. She is committed to advancing inclusive, user-centred library services and fostering collaborative relationships between academics, researchers, information professionals and LIS students.

Her recent research project focused on exploring the transformation of ‘search’ as we know it and what it means for the future of Libraries and Information Science in the AI Era. Dr. Kleinveldt has actively contributed to international scholarly discourse through recent presentations at leading conferences, including:

  • IFLA AI Symposia (2023–2025), where she presented on integrating generative AI into LIS and business curricula and critically evaluating online search results.
  • BCLA Conference (2025), co-presenting on user experience in libraries and enhancing student success through AI-integrated LibGuides.
  • LIASA-SCECSAL Conference (2022), where she delivered a lightning talk on embedding research data management into academic programs.

Dr. Kleinveldt served as Standing Committee Member of the IFLA IT Section for the term 2017-2023, and chaired LIASA’s Higher Education Libraries Interest Group, 2021-2023. She continues to actively participate in these library professional bodies.

Snenhlanhla Hlongwana has been appointed as Research Data Services Librarian at Stellenbosch University Library, with effect from 1 June 2026. This appointment reflects the strong alignment between her professional experience in metadata management, digital resource administration, and scholarly support services, and her growing focus on research data services and digital scholarship.

Before this appointment, she served as a Junior Librarian in the Acquisitions Division within the Stellenbosch University Library and Information Service, where she worked extensively with the library management system and vendor tools to ensure the quality of records, access standards, and usage statistics. Through this role, she developed strong expertise in metadata quality, digital resource discoverability, and ensuring reliable access to electronic information resources.

She also brings prior experience in repository and digital records management through her role as Metadata Librarian for the HSRC Zondo Commission Project. In this capacity, she was responsible for the organisation, indexing, preservation, and management of digital records generated by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, including affidavits, evidence transcripts, and exhibits. This work supported long-term access, discoverability, and future research use of the collection, and strengthened her expertise in digital preservation, structured metadata practices, and the curation of complex research data environments.

She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in information science, with research focusing on the role of institutional repositories in scholarly communication within a private dual-mode higher education context in South Africa. Her professional interests include research data management, Open Access, institutional repositories, metadata standards, and the advancement of digital scholarship. She is also passionate about responsible research practices and the ethical use of artificial intelligence in academia.

Cwayita Notshokovu has been appointed as a Junior Librarian: Scholarly Communication and started her work at the Library on 2 May 2026.

Her responsibilities include content and metadata management for digital repositories, support for the administration of the e-journal management platform and advancing scholarly communication initiatives. She is committed to strengthening research visibility, discoverability, accessibility, and Open Access advocacy.

Before joining Stellenbosch University, Cwayita served as an Information Specialist at Emeris, where she was later promoted to Postgraduate Information Specialist. In this role, she provided advanced research support to postgraduate students and researchers, including training on reference management tools, database navigation, literature review support, and guidance on identifying suitable Open Access journals for publication and uploaded student research reports into the institutional repository. She also promoted researcher visibility through training on author profile registration and researcher identifiers such as ORCID.

Cwayita holds a Master of Library and Information Studies degree obtained from the University of Cape Town. Her master’s dissertation investigated the readiness of public libraries to deliver information literacy instruction to school learners. She presented at the LIASA Annual Conference 2025 and at the City of Cape Town Public Library Seminar 2025. Cwayita is passionate about ethical scholarly practices, responsible AI use, information literacy, Open Access initiatives that enhance equitable access to knowledge.

Author: Theresa Schoeman

Interview: Using the Library’s Makerspace and Immersive Technology Lab

Springer Nature agreement for BMC journal titles discontinued

The Library is always exploring the most efficient ways to support Stellenbosch University (SU) researchers with open access publishing. Before the nationally negotiated Open Access (OA) Agreement with Springer Nature was concluded, SU already had a unique arrangement in place with the publisher. This agreement enabled SU researchers to publish specifically in BMC journal titles without personally paying article processing charges (APCs) upfront. Under this model, the Library paid the APCs in advance and subsequently recovered the full amount from researchers. In addition, SU researchers automatically benefited from a 15% APC discount when publishing in BMC journal titles.

Unfortunately, this arrangement has not functioned seamlessly. Many SU researchers experienced difficulties in securing reimbursement funding after their respective departments withdrew earlier commitments. In some cases, reimbursement delays became so prolonged that researchers left the employ of the University before the Library could recover the outstanding costs. Consequently, the Library has had to write off unrecovered amounts.

Due to the significant administrative and financial burden associated with this arrangement, the Library has decided to discontinue the Springer Nature deposit account model for BMC journals with effect from 30 June 2026. Only articles already under peer review by this date will be covered from the remaining account balance.

This change will, however, not disadvantage SU researchers. We have since established that SU authors submitting manuscripts to BMC journals may directly request a 25% APC discount in line with Springer Nature’s country-tiered APC rates. The main change is that researchers will now be required to arrange payment directly with the publisher.

SU researchers with manuscripts currently under review or already accepted for publication are encouraged to contact the Manager: OA Scholarship, Mr Sizwe Ngcobo, for guidance regarding transitional arrangements and eligibility for support.

The SU Library and Information Service remains committed to supporting open scholarship and will continue to explore sustainable mechanisms for supporting open access publishing. This discontinuation does not affect Stellenbosch University’s Transformational Agreement with Springer Nature.

Authors: Dr Siviwe Bangani and Sizwe Ngcobo

“As Open as Possible, as Closed as Necessary”: Choosing the ‘right’ Creative Commons Licence in Open Access Publishing

Open access (OA), the movement to publish and distribute scholarly works without too many restrictions, for better visibility and research impact, is often advocated as one of the most critical pathways toward achieving information access parity, where both the “information-poor” and “information-rich” have access to similar knowledge resources. Suber (2012) explained that OA is concerned with the “removal of price barriers” and the “removal of permission barriers.” However, OA is more nuanced that it is often assumed. Different OA models and paths exist, varying in their degree of openness and in the extent to which scholarly works may be shared and reused. These models include Diamond OA, Green OA, Gold OA, Hybrid OA, Bronze OA, and even Black OA. The distinctions between these models have been discussed on another blog article.

Suber (2008) further referred to the degrees of openness in OA publishing as gratis OA and libre OA. Gratis OA refers to scholarly publications that are free to read but carry limited reuse rights, while libre OA refers to works that are both free to read and accompanied by additional reuse permissions.

The Creative Commons Licences

To govern the degree of openness of their works, authors often sign Creative Commons (CC) licences, which are standardised legal tools that creators use to indicate how others may reuse their work. In OA publishing, CC licences clarify whether users may legally share a publication and define the extent to which it may be reused for educational, research, policy, and commercial purposes.

Researchers are frequently confronted with several types of CC licences during the publication process. These are reflected in the visual depiction below (Figure 1):

Figure 1: University of Edinburg (n.d.)

Confronted with these options at the publication stage, many researchers sign licences without fully considering their implications. In doing so, they may unintentionally transfer significant distribution rights back to publishers and restrict access to their own scholarly works, an outcome that defeats the very purpose of OA (Schneider, 2025). Certain licences may also affect the visibility, dissemination, and potential impact of scholarly outputs.

Which CC Licence Should Researchers Choose?

It is often difficult to advise researchers on which CC licence they should select when signing authorship agreements as these may differ between publications. The National Research Foundation (NRF) Open Access Statement (NRF, 2019) outlines several principles regarding publications arising from publicly funded research, including the facilitation of:

  • dissemination of knowledge;
  • utilisation, uptake, and application of knowledge;
  • accelerated transformation and globalisation of science; and
  • rapid translation of knowledge into innovative and developmental applications for the benefit of society.

Similarly, the new South African Open Science Policy (South Africa, 2026) promotes the principle of “As Open As Possible, As Closed As Necessary.” At face value, the least restrictive licence, CC BY, appears to align most closely with this principle because it maximises reuse and dissemination opportunities. However, researchers who are concerned about the commercial exploitation of their works may prefer the CC BY-NC licence, which restricts commercial use while still permitting educational and research-related reuse.

Should you face a dilemma regarding the CC license to choose when signing the author agreement, please feel free to contact Sizwe Ngcobo at sngcobo@sun.ac.za.

Reference list

NRF. 2015. Statement on Open Access to Research Publications from the National Research Foundation (NRF)-Funded Research. https://chelsa.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/NRF_open_access_-statement_19Jan2015_V6.pdf.

Schneider, R. 2025. How publishers use “license to publish” agreements to try to transfer all rights held by authors and contravene the spirit and goals of open access. https://files.su.ac.za/public/about-library/documents/2026-01/beoasmart-20250917-how-publishers-use-licensetopublish-agreement.pdf.

South Africa. 2026. South African Open Science Policy. https://www.dsti.gov.za/index.php/documents/policies/296-south-african-open-science-policy.

Suber, P. 2008. Gratis and libre open access. SPARC Open Access Newsletter, 124.

Suber, P. 2012. The rise of libre open access. SPARC Open Access Newsletter, 164.

University of Edinburg. n.d. Choosing a Creative Commons Licence for your resource. Edinburg: University of Edinburg. https://open.ed.ac.uk/how-to-guides/choosing-a-creative-commons-licence-for-your-resource/.

 

Authors: Dr Siviwe Bangani and Sizwe Ngcobo

 

 

The Fifth Paradigm! Artificial Intelligence as a New Scientific Method: Library Research Week 2026

The launch of Library Research Week 2026

“AI-augmented science is the new scientific method that every researcher must embrace in the current technology-driven age,” argued Professor Francesco Petruccione. The Stellenbosch University (SU) Pro Vice-Chancellor for Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Technologies was speaking as a guest during the launch of the Library Research Week, an annual event aimed at empowering emerging researchers.

The hybrid launch event, which took place at the SU Library auditorium and via MS Teams, was opened by Professor Sibusiso Moyo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Internationalisation.

In his keynote address, “The New Scientific Method: Navigating Research in the Age of AI and Quantum Technologies”, Professor Petruccione argued that as the “Fifth Paradigm” of science, AI plays a mediating role where computational systems act as active participants in the research process. This new scientific method expands beyond mere number crunching; AI now assists in formulating complex questions, generating vast landscapes of hypotheses, and accelerating technical tasks like coding. He further emphasised that “the question is whether AI has become an instrument that acts on the cognitive structure of research itself.” Consequently, the scientist’s role is shifting from a hands-on artisan to an “architect” responsible for designing and directing trustworthy discovery systems. Petruccione warned that while this can accelerate breakthroughs, it also risks “epistemic pollution” and the exponential scaling of mediocre science if human judgment is outsourced to machines. He consequently emphasised that “the common feature (in future research) is not full autonomy, but the redistribution of exploratory labour between human and machine.”

To navigate this landscape, researchers are encouraged to use AI as a “sparring partner” for brainstorming while prioritising the mastery of discipline fundamentals to critically evaluate automated outputs. Maintaining provenance – a verifiable record of model versions, prompts, and data sources – is crucial for protecting the integrity of the scientific record. For universities, Petruccione proposed structural changes, such as rethinking student assessment by favouring oral exams (vivas) over easily automated take-home essays.

Prof. Petruccione also warned against the “Matthew Effect,” the risk that the immense costs of AI infrastructure will allow wealthy nations to pull further ahead, widening the global research gap. He called for investment in “sovereign compute” – independent, local supercomputing infrastructure – to ensure that African institutions control their own research data and tools. By networking and pooling resources through collaborative consortia, he argued that Africa can remain an active co-author of scientific breakthroughs rather than a passive consumer of foreign technology.

A Week of Tactical Insights

Following the launch, the online webinar series provided researchers with a comprehensive “tactical playbook” across several key pillars:

  • Ethical AI & Scholarly Writing: Sessions addressed the practicalities of integrating generative AI into literature reviews responsibly, understanding Large Language Models (LLMs), and maintaining the academic authorship contract. Prof. Leslie Swartz also delivered a vital session on transitioning a thesis into a publication.
  • Methodological Tools: Participants received technical, hands-on guidance for essential research tools, including REDCap for secure data capture, ATLAS.ti for qualitative analysis, and EndNote for reference management.
  • Compliance & Data Integrity: Key presentations focused on institutional Research Data Management (RDM) compliance, focusing on SU-specific platforms such as SunDMP for data management planning and SUNScholarData for FAIR-compliant sharing.
  • Researcher Wellbeing: Concluding the week, a specialised session addressed academic burnout by exploring “Interoceptive Mismatch” — the neurological conflict between a highly stressed brain and a sedentary body — offering practical cognitive restoration strategies.

Access the recordings

If you missed any of the sessions, or want to revisit the insights shared by our expert presenters, the recordings are available online on our YouTube channel.

To watch the Presentations: via the official Library Research Week 2026 YouTube Playlist

Enquiries: Kirchner van Deventer

Did you know that South Africa has a National Open Science Policy

South Africa now has a National Open Science Policy — and your Data Management Plan is key to navigating it?

In December 2025, the South African government approved a National Open Science Policy requiring that research outputs arising from public funding be made openly accessible. However, the policy is guided by the principle of “as open as possible, as closed as necessary” — recognising that sensitive, personal, or proprietary data may legitimately remain restricted. This means that openly sharing your data is encouraged where possible, but that participant consent, confidentiality obligations, and POPIA compliance always take precedence.

A well-structured Data Management Plan (DMP) is your roadmap for navigating this balance. It helps you think through how your data will be collected, stored, shared, and preserved from the outset of your project — documenting not only what can be shared openly, but also what must remain closed and why. SunDMP, SU’s online DMP tool (available at https://dmp.sun.ac.za/), guides you through this process step by step.

Contact Research Data Services in the Library for support.

Supporting systematic and scoping reviews in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

The 21st-century librarian not only supports research but also serves as an important partner to researchers, contributing directly to the research process. One of the ways in which we partner with researchers at the Medicine and Health Sciences Library (MHSL) is by contributing to systematic and scoping reviews as integral members of research teams.

MHSL librarians play a strategic and collaborative role in strengthening research within the faculty through specialised support in research synthesis methodologies, particularly systematic and scoping reviews. As faculty librarians, we work closely with academic departments, postgraduate students, and researchers across disciplines to contribute meaningfully to high-quality, evidence-based synthesis. At the Medicine Health Sciences Library, we have three faculty librarians and two junior librarians, Yusuf Ras, Alvina Matthee, Nombulelo-Magwebu-Mrali, Kay Jacobs and Pamela Nyokwana, who assist with evidence-based synthesis.

Systematic and scoping reviews are essential components of medicine and health sciences research. These methodologies require careful planning, structured search strategies, transparent workflows, and documentation to ensure reproducibility and reliability. Faculty librarians bring expertise to this process by partnering with research teams from the early stages of review development through to completion. Our collaboration begins with consultation and guidance on refining research questions and identifying appropriate databases and sources. We design comprehensive, reproducible search strategies tailored to each project’s scope and methodology. These searches ensure that researchers retrieve relevant literature while maintaining methodological integrity.

Beyond literature searching, we support research teams in managing the screening and selection process using specialised systematic review platforms such as Cadima and Rayyan. We assist postgraduate students and researchers in organising references, demonstrating the title and abstract screening, managing duplicates, and assisting with documenting decisions required for transparent reporting. This support helps improve workflow efficiency and strengthens the overall quality of review outputs. Postgraduate students benefit particularly from this partnership. Many students undertake systematic or scoping reviews as part of their thesis or research projects and require methodological guidance beyond traditional literature searching. The faculty librarians provide training, consultations, and ongoing support that can assist students in developing confidence in research synthesis techniques.

Our work extends across departments within the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, where we collaborate with supervisors, research groups, and clinical academics on interdisciplinary projects. These partnerships enhance research visibility, strengthen publication readiness, and contribute to the faculty’s commitment to evidence-informed practice and innovation. The Medicine and Health Sciences Library continue to position itself as an essential research partner in the faculty. By supporting systematic and scoping reviews, we contribute directly to strengthening research quality, postgraduate success, and the production of impactful health sciences knowledge.

This work has resulted in several research outputs where librarians have been acknowledged for their contribution, which can potentially lead to co-authorship.

Author: Yusuf Ras

Please contact your Faculty Librarian if you need assistance with a systematic or scoping review.

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