This study evaluates the influence of ranking reports on university brands' credibility and perceived differentiation. Signaling theory is applied to link ranking with credibility and perceived differentiation. An experimental approach was used to collect data and to test the hypothesis. Data was collected from 328 participants in the UK regarding…

Purpose: This study aims to analyse and evaluate the methodology followed by the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings (THE-IR), as well as the coverage obtained and the data offered by this ranking, to determine if its methodology reflects the degree of sustainability of universities, and whether their results are accurate enough to be used as a…

Although ethical guidelines for doing Internet research are available, most prominently those of the Association of Internet Researchers (www.aoir.org), ethical decision-making for research on publicly available, naturally-occurring data remains a major challenge. As researchers might also turn to others to inform their decisions, this article…

As the fields of learning analytics and learning design mature, the convergence and synergies between the two are becoming an important area for research. This paper intends to summarize the main outcomes of a systematic review of empirical evidence on learning analytics for learning design. Moreover, this paper presents an overview of what and…

The economic downturn of 2007-08 forced many academic libraries in the United States to cancel journals. We surveyed life sciences librarians from ARL libraries to find out about their experiences with journal cancellations during 2008-12. Overall, we discovered that two factors were essential in decision-making: faculty consultations and data.…

Results of data analysis on 470 journal titles illustrate complexity of the fuzzy set theory modeling process, which consists of three factors--number of missing issues, citations, circulations--and its limitations in making journal binding decisions. Procedures of research, data collection, and data analysis are discussed. Matrices are included.…

Papers on library statistics, which were presented at the 1983 International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) conference, include: (1) "Network Statistics and Library Management," in which Glyn T. Evans (United States) suggests that network statistics can be used to improve internal library decisionmaking, enhance group resource…

THE STUDY WAS SET UP IN 1963 CHIEFLY TO IDENTIFY THE FUNCTIONS OF VARIOUS MASS MEDIA AND THEIR RELATIVE IMPORTANCE TO THE AUDIENCE (A SAMPLE OF WISCONSIN FARM WOMEN). THE FARM WOMEN WERE IN CONTACT WITH MASS MEDIA AN AVERAGE OF SIX OR SEVEN HOURS DAILY. BASED ON EARLIER DATA (1957) IT APPEARED THAT THE PROPORTION OF HOMES WITH TELEVISION, WOMEN'S…

The Lancaster County (Pennsylvania) public library, which receives many school districts' interlibrary loan requests, experienced a 100% increase in periodical article requests. Working cooperatively, school and public librarians developed a LSCA Title II grant to study magazine usage to make cost-effective decisions about improving timely access…

Why does an academic research library, emphasizing bioscience topics, decide to alter access to periodical literature relevant to that subject? This paper discusses how and why a change was made, resulting in access to articles via compact disc (CD-ROM) and not current hard copy issues received on subscription. Issue use and cost are primary…