Academic Social Networking Sites: Research Scholars’ Assessment and Usage

LIBRARY HERALD

Year : 2025, Volume : 63, Issue :3

First page :(405) Last page :(418)

Print ISSN : 0024-2292. Online ISSN : 0976-2469.

Article DOI : 10.5958/0976-2469.2025.00031.2

M. Mahalakshmi1, P. Ganeshan2

1 Research Scholar, Department of Library and Information Science, University, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, India

2 Librarian, Department of Library and Information Science, University, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

This study has been conducted keeping in mind the main objective to discover out the awareness of the research scholars and the extensive utilization of both Academic Social Networks in the Bharathidasan University. It is for this determination; the study used a structured questionnaire to collect the relevant data from the research scholars. There were nearly 150 research scholars that constituted the sample, who used the Academic Social Networking sites (ASNs). The results of the study unraveled that the research scholars were fully aware and were expansively using ResearchGate, Google Scholar, Academia.edu and ORCID, although their awareness level was comparatively less with other ASNs. The restricted access to ASNs in the library was one of the limitation that was easily noticeable, yet library professionals steered a significant role in creating this type of an awareness. Their level of agreement for the assessment of the skills and the profound impact of the evaluation skills of ASNS on research were found to be at a satisfactory level for most of the statements. A majority of the respondents confronted problems, such as, excess of information, absence of technical knowhow, sheer lack of computers and nonexistence of training/instruction. The study based on the outcomes has offered some of the most concrete suggestions towards the use of the ASNs effectively.

Keywords

Academic Social Networking Sites; ASNS; Social Networks; Research scholars; Assessment