The aim of this descriptive and quantitative study was to explore the usage of reference management systems (RMSs) among Kuwait University (KU) faculty and their perspectives towards using these systems. For this purpose, an online survey was distributed using Google Forms. The sample was all KU faculty from all the 16 colleges, and a link to the survey was sent by email to all the faculty. The results show a humble usage of RMSs among the faculty, EndNote is the most common software. The participants declared their need for both awareness of and training for the RMS packages; this need was declared by both users and non-users of RMSs. The results of this study will be beneficial for the KU library administration to be better engaged in the awareness campaign at the university level.
Cite this paper
Hendal, B. A. (2019). Kuwait University Faculty Usage and Perspectives of Reference Management Software. Open Access Library Journal, 6, e5685. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1105685.
Francese, E. (2012) Reference Management Software as Digital Libraries: A Survey at the University of Torino. Master’s Thesis, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Oslo.
Rakhshan, V. (2012) Reliance of Scientific Publication on Citation Management Software: The New Generation. Journal of Dental Research, Dental Clinics, Dental Prospects, 6, 158-159.
Roux, W.L. and Burke, I. (2009) Collaborative Reference Management System. African Digital Scholarship and Curation Conference, Pretoria, 12-14 May 2009, 1-11.
Childress, D. (2011) Citation Tools in Academic Libraries: Best Practices for Reference and Instruction. References & User Services Quarterly, 51, 53-62. https://doi.org/10.5860/rusq.51n2.143
Lonergan, N. (2017) Reference Management Software Preferences among Liberal Arts Faculty. Reference Services Review, 45, 584-595. https://doi.org/10.1108/RSR-06-2017-0024
Fitzgibbons, M. and Meert, D. (2010) Are Bibliographic Management Software Search Interfaces Reliable? A Comparison between Search Results Obtained Using Database Interfaces and the EndNote Online Search Function. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 36, 144-150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2010.01.005
Basak, S.K. (2014) Reference Management Software: Comparative Analysis of RefWorks and Zotero. International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 8, 1987-1990.
Gilmour, R. and Cobus-Kuo, L. (2011) Reference Management Software: A Comparative Analysis of Four Products. Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship, 66, 63-75.
East, J.W. (2001) Academic Libraries and the Provision of Support for Users of Personal Bibliographic Software: A Survey of Australian Experience with EndNote. LASIE (Library Automated Systems Information Exchange), 32, 64-70.
Ram, S. and Anbu, K.J.P. (2014) The Use of Bibliographic Management Software by Indian Library and Information Science Professionals. Reference Services Review, 42, 499-513. https://doi.org/10.1108/RSR-08-2013-0041
Parabhoi, L., Sahu, R.R. and Bhoi, N. (2018) Usefulness of Citation or Bibliographic Management Software: A Case Study of LIS Professionals in India. International Journal of Information Movement, 2, 55-61.
Francese, E. (2011) The Usage of Reference Management Software (RMS) in an Academic Environment: A Survey at Tallinn University. International Conference on Integrated Information, Kos, 293-296.
Sarrafzadeh, M. and Hazeri, A. (2014) The Familiarity and Use of Reference Management Software by LIS Faculties in Iran. New Library World, 115, 558-570. https://doi.org/10.1108/NLW-02-2014-0018
Y?ld?r?m, H. and Y?lmaz, O. (2012) Analyses of Approaches of Academicians to Bibliographic Management Software (I.U. Faculty of Forestry Case). Journal of the Faculty of For-estry Istanbul University, 62, 53-70.
Yilmaz, K. (2013) Comparison of Quantitative and Qualitative Research Traditions: Epis-temological, Theoretical, and Methodological Differences. European Journal of Education, 48, 311-325. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12014