Author: Marié Roux (Page 4 of 13)

There are numerous ways in which you can showcase your research and therefore improve the impact of your work. Considering these aspects when you publish and promote your research is important.

Decision-making about where to publish

• Publish in high-impact journals:
  Use the Journal Impact Factor (Web of Science) or Citescore and SNIP metrics (Scopus). Always publish in journals that are accredited by the DHET. See the lists of accredited journals on the Division for Research Development’s website.
• Publish Open Access:
  Always look out for options to publish your work in accredited Open Access journals. The Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ list) is a good place to start. Because of high article processing charges (APC’s), it is best to make use of the open access agreements with publishers that make it easier for SU researchers to publish open access (OA), and in some cases to even publish OA without paying any article processing charge. Have a look at all the publisher agreements and the lists of journals in which you can publish at discounted rates in the Open Access Publishing library guide.

Use persistent identifiers

• ORCID
  Create and connect your ORCID iD to your SU identity. Connect your iD to all citation databases and other research profiles where possible. Remember to keep your record up to date with adding your employment and works (publications) especially.

Manage your author profiles in citation indexes/databases

In both these citation databases there might be more than one profile for your name. If this is the case, you may request them to merge the different profiles. In Web of Science you also need to claim your profile if you haven’t done so yet. It’s important to connect your ORCID id in both these databases.

• Scopus
• Web of Science

Create and maintain online profiles

These profiles will help you to make your work more visible and accessible, which could in turn help you to get more citations.

• Google Scholar is an important profile since some funders will ask for your Google Scholar H-Index while applying for funding, etc.
• ResearchGate
• Academia
• Lens.org

Post about your work on social media channels

• Facebook
• X
• LinkedIn

Communicate about your research (Science Communication)

• Blog posts
• Personal webpage / Research Lab webpage or blog
• Publish in popular magazines related to your research (health, agriculture, etc)
• Write for magazines such as “The Conversation”
• News items / Media

Track your impact (bibliometrics)

Track your impact through citation databases and altmetrics. Go to your author profile or do a search for your publications and track your metrics.

• Scopus
• SciVal
• Web of Science
• Dimensions (free version)
• scite (free version)
• Altmetric Explorer for Librarians (request this information from  Marié Roux)

The above information comes from a workshop “Maximise your research impact” which will be presented on 23 May 2024.  Make your reservation to get more in-depth information about these topics.

An exhibition about 30 years of democracy can currently be viewed in Special Collections at the Library. UNICEF defines human rights as “standards that recognize and protect the dignity of all human beings.” In South Africa, Human Rights Day is a National Public Holiday that is historically linked to the Sharpeville massacre of 21 March 1960.

The commemoration of the day serves as a reminder of the sacrifices that people made and the gains that came with achieving democracy.  Although the country continues to be confronted with inequalities resulting from weak governance, uneven wealth distribution, unemployment, poverty, and others; the existence of human rights should inspire citizens to continually strive for the betterment of our country and its people. By enshrining human rights in the constitution, the country affirms how it values human dignity, equality, and freedom.

This year, thirty years into democracy, it is time for South Africans to remember that the democracy we are celebrating began when the country’s political landscape shifted in the 90s, resulting in the first democratic elections in 1994. Part of celebrating this milestone should be our continuous commitment to uphold, protect and advance democracy and human rights. 

Special Collections has some collections that cover themes on human rights and democracy in South Africa.  You can visit collections such as Frederik van Zyl Slabbert Collection, Edwin Cameron Collection, IDASA Collection , Noseweek, South African Elections and Vrye Weekblad.

For more information on the material in Special Collections, visit our library guide.

Author: Pakama Ncume

Library Research Week is an annual event that seeks to empower researchers on many aspects of the research process including proposal writing, literature reviews, research methods, academic writing skills, scoping reviews, research data management, publishing and many more. The theme for LRW2024 is Let’s Achieve Research Excellence and the programme is almost ready. We will host workshops and discussions on research best practices throughout the week, including those dedicated to effectively utilising the new DMP tool.

On Tuesday, 14 May, there will be webinars on academic writing skills and proposal writing, and an introductory workshops on quantitative and qualitative research. On Wednesday, 15 May, you can attend a workshop on how to use the newly implemented FAIRwizard, an introduction to mixed-methods research, an advanced workshop on how to optimally use EndNote and how to conduct scoping reviews. On Thursday, 16 May, you will be introduced to Microsoft PowerBi and SPSS and there will also be a webinar on how to “tell a story with your data.” The programme for Friday, 17 May, which will be in-person only, will start with a panel discussion on the progress and impact of our transformational agreements with publishers. This will be followed by a presentation by Prof. Karen Esler on how green spaces influence our well-being. Those who attend the Friday programme, will be invited to enjoy lunch afterwards.

The full programme and links to register will be made available soon, so keep your eyes peeled for the announcement. We are looking forward to helping you on your journey to achieve research excellence!

Theses and dissertations are important information resources preserved in the Library and on the institutional repository, SUNScholar. To ensure access to these resources, the Library has embarked on retrospective digitisation projects, digitising Stellenbosch University theses and dissertations between 1990 and 2008.

Digitisation of retrospective theses and dissertations means that research previously available only in physical form or hard copy may now be made digitally available online as open access material and resources, enabling wide accessibility to a wealth of information that had previously only been available in limited capacity and distribution. This project also aids in promoting the scholarly output of SU students, researchers and alumni.

Please contact Scholarly Communication if you find a thesis or dissertation that is not available in digital format and they will do their best to digitise it for you.

Did you know you could request a full researcher impact report to showcase your impact? This report was developed to summarise the impact of your work as indexed by the following databases: Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science and Dimensions. It also gives you more in-depth information about the impact of your work from the database which indexes most of your publications. This information is visualised in a two-page PowerBi report.

The full researcher impact report is delivered in the format of Microsoft PowerPoint slides. Herewith are example pages of the report for you to see what it all is about:

This is a summarised page that includes all the important metrics, such as the number of your publications per year, per database; the H-Index from different databases, the M-Index, the G-Index and other indices; the number of citations per database; your top article in Altmetric Explorer (only 2 librarians have access to retrieve this Altmetric information); the top 2 highly cited articles, and more.

The second slide will include a VosViewer network visualisation that looks at co-authorship analysis. This is retrieved from the Dimensions database and will therefore only include data that is indexed by Dimensions.

The third slide also includes a VosViewer network visualisation, this time looking at citation analysis. This visualisation is also retrieved from the Dimensions database.

The next two slides are set up in a Microsoft PowerBi report and include interactive visualisations of all the important metrics related to your research output, from a specific database such as Scopus or Web of Science, depending on where most of your articles are indexed. Here all the data associated with the specific aspect is visualised, so you can scroll down and for example not see only your top 10 co-authors as visualised in the databases, but your full list of co-authors. The data we include in these visualisations are: Co-authors, journal titles in which you publish, publication types, your contribution to the SDGs, subject areas, your publications by affiliation (world map) and a list of funders.

Guidance on the responsible use of metrics, the methodology (links to your profiles on databases, etc) and a glossary of important terms are also included.

Request your report from your Faculty Librarian or contact Marié Roux to coordinate the request.

Visit our Research Impact library guide for more information.

Using maps as a primary source can be very helpful in research.  Different kinds of maps can be used to do research on different subject areas and topics. Your subject area and topic will determine the kind of map that will be most applicable to support your research questions.

Maps can provide insight into a specific place at a particular time, and they can also be used in comparison, to see how spaces are changing over time.  It can show interesting information about soil and geology, weather and climate, vegetation, infrastructure, political, cultural, and economic activities.  Maps are most useful as a visual tool to highlight different aspects of your research.

Researchers must also keep in mind that during the early centuries, historical maps haven’t always been accurate in their representations of spaces.  This could be due to a lack of information or other reasons. By studying the differences between maps and exploring why the discrepancies exist, we can learn about history.

The Stellenbosch University Library and Information service, Special Collections has a collection of old and rare maps focusing on Africa. You can visit the Hugh Solomon Map Collection.  Historical maps and atlases are also housed in Special Collections and interesting maps form part of some of the unique manuscript collections. The history of Stellenbosch can be discovered by using the research on early landowners in the Stellenbosch District and research on population statistics.

For more information on the usage of historical maps during your research, contact us at  Special Collections library guide.

Author: Marieta Buys

A significant achievement for Stellenbosch University is that the institution has been granted the prestigious CoreTrustSeal, signaling a commitment to excellence in managing and curating research data. This certification holds immense importance in data repositories, underlining the university’s dedication to ensuring the integrity, sustainability, and accessibility of its valuable research data. Stellenbosch University launched SUNScholarData, an open-access data repository enabling SU researchers to share their datasets, and in 2023, this repository received the CoreTrustSeal certification.

The Significance of CoreTrustSeal:

The CoreTrustSeal is a globally recognised certification that signifies a data repository’s adherence to international standards and best practices in data management. Awarded by the CoreTrustSeal Board, this certification serves as a mark of trust and reliability for users, funders, and stakeholders involved in the research community. Let’s explore the fundamental elements of CoreTrustSeal and understand why it is a significant accomplishment for Stellenbosch University.

• Compliance with International Standards: Achieving CoreTrustSeal demonstrates that Stellenbosch University’s data repository aligns with internationally accepted data management and curation standards. This includes compliance with the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable), ensuring that data is handled to maximise its usability and impact.
• Data Integrity and Quality: The certification emphasises the university’s commitment to maintaining the integrity and quality of research data. By implementing robust data management practices, Stellenbosch University ensures that its data remains accurate, reliable, and free from errors, bolstering the credibility of the research produced.
• Long-Term Accessibility and Preservation: CoreTrustSeal requires institutions to demonstrate their commitment to the long-term accessibility and preservation of research data. Stellenbosch University’s certification assures researchers and collaborators that their valuable data will be securely stored and accessible for future use, contributing to the longevity of scholarly contributions.
• Enhanced Collaboration and Interoperability: The certification promotes interoperability by encouraging repositories to adopt standardised practices. Stellenbosch University’s CoreTrustSeal achievement facilitates seamless collaboration with other research institutions, as data can be easily shared, reused, and integrated across diverse projects, fostering a more interconnected and collaborative research environment.
• Increased Trust and Credibility: CoreTrustSeal serves as a stamp of approval, enhancing the trustworthiness and credibility of Stellenbosch University’s data repository. Researchers, funding agencies, and the broader academic community can have confidence in the quality and reliability of the data hosted by the university, promoting transparency and accountability.

Stellenbosch University’s attainment of the CoreTrustSeal is a commendable milestone that reflects the institution’s commitment to excellence in research data management. This certification showcases the university’s dedication to international standards and positions it as a trusted and reliable hub for valuable research data. As Stellenbosch University continues to advance in the realm of research and innovation, the CoreTrustSeal serves as a beacon, guiding the way toward a future where data is not just generated but is responsibly managed, preserved, and shared for the benefit of the global research community.

Scholarly publishing is a growing concept in academic institutions and academic libraries are at the forefront of ensuring that authors get support related to scholarly communications. Wikipedia refers to scholarly communications as the “creation, publication, dissemination and discovery of academic research, primarily in peer-reviewed journals and books”. One of the foremost developments in scholarly communications in the past few years has been open access (OA), a concept that refers to making research freely available online without any access restrictions. Since the beginning of the 21st century, libraries have been involved in advocacy and promotion of OA to scholarly research to broaden access, increase visibility and deepen the impact of scholarly research. However, these efforts have been hampered by the existence of steep Article Processing Charges (APCs) and other restrictions in scholarly journals.

This prompted concerned bodies like the South African National Library and Information Consortium (SANLiC), a South African non-profit consortium of mainly libraries of academic institutions that aims to negotiate the procurement of and securing access to information resources on behalf of its members to look at strategies to bring publishers on board in promoting OA. This resulted in some concessions from the publishers wherein they allow researchers from SANLiC member institutions to publish OA in selected hybrid journals without or only paying partial APCs. In South Africa, these agreements are termed the Transformational Agreements (TAs).

TAs are a shining light of change in the ever-changing world of academic publication, offering scholarly communication a more accessible, visible, and broader reach to a wide range of researchers. This year marks the third year that the first TAs were signed and, in this article, we look at the impact these have had on scholarly publishing at the University.

Our first interest was whether researchers at Stellenbosch University (SU) have taken advantage of the TAs. Figure 1 below shows that indeed researchers at SU have taken advantage of the TAs and this has been on an upward trend since we first signed these Agreements in 2021.

Figure 1: Increase in articles published OA through TAs

In 2023, the Institution received more requests to publish in hybrid journals than in fully open and subscription journals. Thanks to the TAs, many SU authors were able to publish without paying APCs. This does not only benefit the authors but also contributes to the visibility and impact of the Institution.

However, it is concerning that despite the availability of TAs, a few researchers still choose to lock their articles behind the paywalls thereby losing out on broader appeal, visibility and impact of their research as shown in Figure 2 below.

Figure 2: Choice of publishing model by SU researchers on TA-covered journals

The majority of SU researchers have taken advantage of the TAs. However, the reasons why other researchers still prefer the traditional model of locking their research behind paywalls are not clear.

Given that the University would have paid APCs to publish OA in these journals, TAs have also contributed to cost savings as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Estimate cost savings from APCs as a result of TAs

By 2023, the estimated cost of saving by publishing through the TAs, per publisher has been commendable. SU’s participation in these agreements saved the institution $1 053 761 (about R19 734 000) in article processing charges for 349 articles. Of the 349 articles, 112 were published in quartile 1 journals and 117 in quartile 2 journals.

In conclusion, transformational agreements at Stellenbosch University channels the growth within the openness concept, open access, and open knowledge sharing. The fact that some researchers still prefer to lock their research behind journal paywalls demonstrates the need for stronger advocacy and marketing as well as the provision of support to authors to ensure the rapid growth of OA scholarly publishing. Initiatives such as Open Access Week, outreach, workshops, and publishers training will continue to be used as tools to promote and raise awareness about open access publishing.

See more data about the articles published at SU in the Library’s statistics dashboard (go to the last tab about transformational agreements).

Authors: Sakhile Mngomezulu, Dr Siviwe Bangani

A picture says a thousand words, but how do you use these thousand words as a primary resource for research? Using photographs to conduct research requires a lot more than a quick glance and triggers an investigation on its own.

Photographs are visual representations of the memory of lives, landscapes, events, buildings, or objects within a specific time. The use of photographs can inspire a research topic, support it and serve as the primary source of your research.

Special Collections hold a variety of photo collections that can be accessed, by searching the finding aids on SUNDigital.  The photographs collections on SUNDigital range from 1900 to more recent and include photographs relating to the Anglo-Boer War, the Stellenbosch University and Victoria College history, photos from individual collections, and political events.  We have many more photos to access in specific individual collections.

The authenticity and integrity of the sources are essential, and the photographs must be interpreted and contextualised. Challenges when using photographs are mostly quality of photographs, limited information, copyright, and ethical use.

Here are some questions to ask when interrogating your primary resource:

• What is the event or context of when this photo was taken?
• Why was the photo taken and who is the audience (Is it for artistic, documentary, journalism, or marketing purposes)?
• What do you already know about the photo? (Such as an indication of the photographer, location, date or any other captions or descriptions associated with the photo, its subject matter and whether the individuals are identified or not and its background).
• Was the photo edited, cropped, or colorised? Did this editing change anything?

Herewith a few examples:

Prisoners of war on Burt’s Island, 1900 – WJ Leyds Collection

Brick-making – Walton Collection

Voter Education Poll 26 June 1990 (?) – IDASA Collection

Author: Marieta Buys

We are thrilled to inform you that we have new additions to the Stellenbosch University Library and Information Service’s research support services.

 Welcome to  Xabiso Xesi: Manager Research Data Services

Xabiso Xesi

Xabiso Xesi joined the Library as the Manager of Research Data Services on 1 February 2024. Before joining us, Xabiso served as a Digital Scholarship Specialist at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) Libraries. However, he is no stranger to SU having previously worked as an Information Systems Coordinator at the University’s Division for Research Management. He brings extensive expertise in research data management, scholarly communication and information systems management which was gained during his time at the CPUT and SU. Armed with a Postgraduate Diploma in Knowledge and Information Systems Management from Stellenbosch University and a BCom Honours in Information Systems, he is completing an MPhil in Digital Curation at the University of Cape Town.

Researchers can consult with Xabiso on research data matters such as creating DMP plans, preserving research data, research data policies, tools for sharing research data and data citation.

He can be contacted at xabiso@sun.ac.za or 021 808 9489.

Welcome to Sakhile Mngomezulu: Manager Scholarly Communications and Open Access

Sakhile Mngomezulu

Sakhile Mngomezulu joined the Library as the Manager: Scholarly Communications and Open Access on 1 February 2024. Previously, he served as Senior Librarian: Institutional Repository and Systems Support at North-West University following a role as Librarian: Scholarly Communications at the same institution. Sakhile also worked as an Information Specialist at the Varsity College IIE and at the Management College of Southern Africa. He holds a Bachelor of Information Studies degree from the University of Limpopo and a Master of Information Science Degree from the University of South Africa. He is presently enrolled for a Ph.D. in Information Science at the University of South Africa.

Researchers can consult Sakhile with queries related to advice on open access publishing options including transformational agreements, open access initiatives, and publishers and consortia relationship management.

He can be contacted at sakhilemn@sun.ac.za or 021 808 9907.

Author: Dr Siviwe Bangani