Evaluation of Western Scientific Journals in Tamkang University Library

• Main Authors: Hsiu-ju Wu, 吳秀如
• Other Authors: Ming-yueh Tsay
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 1999
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/75505295720229962643

碩士 === 淡江大學 === 教育資料科學學系 === 87 === The primary purpose of this study is to analyze the value and the cost-effectiveness of western scientific journals in Tamkang University Library. This will provide helpful information for selecting and aborting the journals in acquisition processing. In order to obtain objective results, this study adopts “decision model” as research tool. Five criteria are selected: curriculum-relevance(R), actual use data(U), citation counts(C), impact factor(I) and the numbers of indexing & abstracting( I & A ). The “decision model” is developed as following: Value = R×30% + U×20% + C×20% + I×20% + I&A×10% The value of each journal is determined by the “decision model”, and the cost-effectiveness of journals is acquired by the ratio of price and value. According to the rating of value and cost-effectiveness, suggestions for selecting western scientific journals are offered. Samples, 181 titles, used in this study come from titles of the western scientific journals which are requested and ordered by the Tamkang University Library in 1998. Investigation and analysis are conducted. The results of this study are as following: 1. Curriculum-relevance: 55.8% of titles get the score of “relevance”. It shows most of the western scientific journals are not highly related to teacher’s needs. 2. Usage: 80.1% of titles have been used in five-month-period. 3. Citation count: by analyzing 8069 citations in 416 papers, 79.6% of titles have been cited. In general, the usage of the western scientific journals are acceptable. 4. Impact factor: by accessing the JCR database, 91.2% of titles get “impact factor”, which indicates that most of the western scientific journals are good in “Science” area. 5. The number of indexing & abstracting: 98.3% of titles is listed in more than one indexing/abstracting service which reveals that most of the western scientific journals will have greater opportunities to be used. Below is the conclusion of this study: 1. Journals with high assessment in the factor of curriculum-relevance are not necessarily used or cited frequently by users. 2. Journals with higher assessment in the factor of usage usually get higher value. 3. The value of each journal is not usually corresponded with cost-effectiveness of each journal. In addition to all the results mentioned above, both of the actual information needs of users’ and the expenditure of library’s acquisition have to be considered in acquisition decision making.