Month: November 2024

The Primo Research Assistant has launched on the SU Library Search . This generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool – using OpenAI’s GPT–4o mini’s Large Language Model (LLM) – enables users to research a topic in natural language, using library and expanded academic electronic resources. In the process of retrieving results, it summarises the most pertinent information from the five top-ranked articles or other e-resources that can best address your question. It allows you to expand to more results where you can either tweak the Boolean query or filter your results to find more verified sources to assist in your research.

Phrase your question to give enough context as the assistant does not (yet) allow follow-up questions. The assistant now saves your questions between sessions. Access this tool by logging in on Library Search, the search function on the library home page.

Please note that you have to click on this feature in Library Search to use it, see the two options marked with yellow circles below:

Read more about this feature here: Getting started with Primo Research Assistant 

Read this detailed review of the Primo Research Assistant by Aaron Tay.

Enquiries or feedback: Natasja Malherbe, Tel: 021 808 2845

SUNScholarData is Stellenbosch University’s institutional research data repository, has taken a pivotal step toward supporting global sustainable development initiatives. By integrating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into our data repository framework, the University is fostering research that not only advances knowledge but also contributes to solving real-world challenges.

Through this integration, SU researchers can now tag datasets, publications, and research outputs based on their relevance to one or more of the 17 SDGs. This development enables SUNScholarData to serve as a repository not only for preserving research data but also for amplifying research impact by linking outputs to international sustainability objectives.

Aligning Research with Global Impact

The inclusion of SDG tagging in SUNScholarData encourages researchers to connect their work with broader societal goals. By categorizing research outputs according to specific SDGs, this feature aims to make sustainable research contributions more visible and accessible to both local and global audiences. This convergence with global agendas demonstrates our institution’s dedication to tackling critical societal issues through academic research and innovation.

How SUNScholarData Supports Interdisciplinary Collaboration

By enabling SDG tagging, SUNScholarData provides a platform where researchers from diverse fields can easily identify studies addressing similar goals, regardless of discipline. This feature fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, promoting comprehensive approaches to complex global issues and advancing innovation across fields. SUNScholarData thus not only host research but also becomes a bridge that brings scholars together to tackle shared challenges.

Library Support and Guidance

SUNScholarData’s integration of SDGs reaffirms our dedication to fostering a research environment that is innovative, ethical, and globally conscious. We encourage all researchers to make use of this feature and join us in advancing research that contributes to a more sustainable, equitable, and inclusive future.

Please contact Sizwe Ngcobo or Xabiso Xesi at rdm@sun.ac.za for any inquiries.

Authors: Xabiso Xesi and Sizwe Ngcobo

To measure research impact is an increasingly important aspect in securing government funding for research activity, NRF rating, institutional ranking and the management of research output within the university sector. This has placed considerable emphasis on tracking citations of a researcher’s published works and publishing within highly-ranked journals.

What is Research Impact?

Broadly speaking, the impact of research can be academic or societal and therefore can occur within academia or beyond it. Impact has academic, societal and economic elements, which are defined as follows by the University College Dublin, in their Research Impact Toolkit:

Academic impact is the demonstrable contribution that excellent research makes to academic advances, across and within disciplines, including significant advances in understanding, method, theory and application.

Societal and economic impact is the demonstrable contribution that excellent research makes to society and the economy, of benefit to individuals, organisations and nations. This is a broad definition and research can contribute to society in many ways.

Read more in the Research Impact library guide

How do you measure Research Impact?

Tracking citations of a researcher’s published works is only one way of measuring research impact. This can be done using author metrics, article metrics and journal metrics. These are found in databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, Dimensions, Google Scholar, etc. Altmetrics could also be used to get input about the number of tweets or mentions in blog posts, etc.

It is important to note that researchers cannot rely only on metrics or indicators to determine impact. Julie Bayley describes in her book, Creating Meaningful Impact: The Essential Guide to Developing an Impact-literate Mindset, that “impact is the changes we can see (demonstrate, measure and capture), beyond academia (in society, economy, environment or elsewhere) which happen because of our research (caused by, contributed to and attributable to)… but ultimately is about connecting academic research to changes in the real world.” (p.11)

A researcher’s contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals could therefore also be a good indication of his/her impact in the real world, but only if those works have been used to make a difference.

What type of metrics could be included in a researcher impact report?

The Library offers Researcher Impact Reports which give you an overview of your citation data from different databases and a more in-depth Power Bi report which will include information on co-authorship, contribution to SDGs, subject areas and many more. A SciVal report will also be included which give you a broad overview of your metrics, but also more specific information about international collaboration and your specific subject areas.  It is important to not look at only the basic metrics such as the H-Index, but look at a broader snapshot of what your impact might be. Please note that these are only indicators and do not necessarily measure impact “in the real world”.

How do I request a Research Impact report?

You are welcome to request a report from your faculty librarian or contact Marié Roux to coordinate the request.

Why do we refer to the responsible use of metrics?

It is best practice that quantitative evaluation (metrics, numbers and indicators) should only support qualitative and expert assessment and not the other way around. Institutions and funders evaluate researchers often only by one or two indicators, such as the H-Index. There are many reasons why this is not a responsible way to measure research impact.

Read more in the Research Impact library guide

How can you improve your impact as a researcher?

A previous blog post of 2024 summarises the answer to this question: Improve the impact of your research.

Please contact Marié Roux for any further questions.

Or consult the Library Guide on Research Impact.

On 24 October 2024, Stellenbosch University (SU) Library celebrated International Open Access Week with a hybrid event focusing on the theme “Community Over Commercialisation.” Held in the SU Library Auditorium and streamed online, the event featured a panel discussion facilitated by the SU Library’s Director of Research Services, Dr. Siviwe Bangani. The panel included insights from influential voices in Open Science, both locally and internationally.

On SU’s Open Access Commitment

Opening the Discussion, Ms Ellen R. Tise, Senior Director: Library and Information Services, highlighted the university’s longstanding commitment to Open Access, from signing the Berlin Declaration in 2010, hosting Africa’s first Berlin Open Access Conference in 2012, and the Open Repositories conference in 2023. She spoke about the financial challenges, such as high subscription fees and fluctuations in local currency, that limit access for South African institutions. Tise also underscored the inequalities caused by “double dipping,” where publicly funded research becomes costly for the researchers themselves. She stressed that Open Access is essential for ensuring that African scholarship reaches a global audience.

Connecting Scholarship with Society

Prof. Marena Manley from SU’s Food Science department discussed how Open Access extends research impact beyond academia to benefit society. “It’s not just for other researchers; Open Access reaches the public,” she noted. Prof. Manley also emphasised quality control in Open Access publications, advocating for “open reviews” that involve public engagement to ensure research remains relevant and accessible. She highlighted the value of peer review and community feedback in maintaining high standards, comparable to those of traditional journals.

Reclaiming Scholarship: Challenging the Commercialisation of Knowledge

Dr. Reggie Raju, Director: Research & Learning, University of Cape Town (UCT), spoke on the dominance of commercial publishers, arguing that scholarship should be a public good rather than a profit-driven commodity. He referenced initiatives like Diamond Open Access (DOA) as viable paths for reclaiming academic publishing from commercial interests. DOA is an open access publishing model where research is made freely available to readers and authors pay no Article Processing Charges (APCs) to publish. This model is often supported by institutions (including through Institutional repositories) or sponsors. DOA promotes equitable access to knowledge by removing financial barriers for both authors and readers. Dr. Raju also mentioned a class-action lawsuit in the U.S. against major publishers for allegedly blocking Open Access alternatives, which he sees as a critical step in restoring accessibility.

Furthermore, Raju was asked about the challenges unique to Global South researchers, who often feel pressured to align with Global North priorities. He described how “research pilgrimage” affects local relevance and noted the prohibitive costs of APCs for many South African researchers. He encouraged collaborations that would enable Global South academics to publish without high costs.

Policy and Inclusivity

In response to a question on policy’s role in mitigating commercial influence, Jeroen Sondervan, Programme Leader Open Scholarly Communication, Open Science NL at the Dutch Research Council (NWO) highlighted transformative agreements and policy reforms as essential. He advocated for Diamond Open Access to promote inclusive publishing, suggesting that funding for Open Access infrastructure could reduce reliance on traditional metrics such as citations and h-index. To this, Dr. Raju added that policy change should include revisiting institutional reward systems to recognise Open Access contributions.

From Local to Global Impact: Open Access and the SDGs

Reflecting on Open Access’s broader role, Ms Tise linked it to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting its importance in education, health, poverty alleviation, and climate change. She noted how Open Access enabled rapid dissemination of COVID-19 research, emphasising that unrestricted access to information empowers communities to address societal challenges. However, she cautioned against the trend of rising publisher fees, which threaten accessibility.

Tise pointed out the need for ongoing education about Open Access models, which are constantly evolving. While libraries provide updates, she acknowledged that many researchers still struggle to navigate the options. She urged for simpler, more standardised Open Access agreements and encouraged researchers to look beyond traditional, high-prestige journals, noting initiatives like Diamond Open Access that promote free-to-publish and free-to-read models.

A Call to Action

The panel concluded with a shared commitment to foster Open Access policies that prioritise equity and community impact. As SU continues its advocacy, the event highlighted the transformative potential of Open Access to make research more inclusive, accessible, and beneficial for society.

Celebrating our International Open Access Week 2024 event at Stellenbosch University. Top Left: Mr. Jeroen Sondervan; Top Right: Ms. Mimi Seyffert-Wirth, Ms. Ellen R. Tise, Prof. Marena Manley, Dr. Siviwe Bangani; Bottom Left: Online attendees; Bottom Right: Dr. Reggie Raju

Author: Theresa Schoeman