Trends in Malaysian LIS Research 1996-2006: A Content Analysis of the MJLIS Articles

Abstract

This paper is a content analysis of library and information science (LIS) research by Malaysian authors, which were published in the Malaysian Journal of Library & Information Science (MJLIS) from 1996 to 2006. The aim is to find out how Malaysian LIS research is distributed over topics, which research methods are favoured, and the pattern of authorship. An author is regarded as Malaysian by virtue of affiliation to a Malaysian institution as stated in the published article. The ratio of male to female authors changed from 5:2 to 1:2 over the eleven years. Research focused consistently on 3 main classes; information storage & retrieval (IS&R), information seeking, and scientific and professional communication. They totaled up to at least 50% and as high as 100% of the research articles every year. There was strong emphasis on empirical research strategies, which were utilized for at least 50% of the research carried out per year. The survey and bibliometric method were the most engaged methods.