Research Methodology, Unit-3

Research problem, Indexing,

SCOPUS, WEB and Publication
Strategies

Dr. Kirpa Ram

Assistant Professor
FOS, Baba Mastnath University
Email- dr.kirparamjangra@gmail.com
How to publish the research
or
Research paper publication
 How to write a research paper
• A research paper is a piece of academic writing that provides analysis, interpretation, and
argument based on in-depth independent research.
• Research papers are similar to academic essays, but they are usually longer and more
detailed assignments, designed to assess not only your writing skills but also your skills in
scholarly research. Writing a research paper requires you to demonstrate a strong
knowledge of your topic, engage with a variety of sources, and make an original
contribution to the debate.
• This step-by-step guide takes you through the entire writing process, from understanding
your assignment to proofreading your final draft.

1. Understand the assignment 8. Write a compelling body of text

2. Choose a research paper topic 9. Write the conclusion
3. Conduct preliminary research 10.The second draft
4. Develop a thesis statement 11.The revision process
5. Create a research paper outline 12.Research paper checklist
6. Write a first draft of the research paper 13.Free lecture slides
7. Write the introduction
 Publishing research papers
Publishing your research is an important step in your academic career.
While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, this guide is designed to
take you through the typical steps in publishing a research paper.
Discover how to get your paper published, from choosing the right
journal and understanding what a peer reviewed article is, to responding
to reviewers and navigating the production process.
1. When the paper writing is finished and the authors consider the
paper to be worth publishing, the next step is to submit it for
publication (e.g. to a conference, a journal or a book editor).
2. The selective focus here is on journal articles and conference
papers.
Processes of Publishing a Journal Article
1. Identifying a target journal
2. Following the journal’s instructions
3. Submitting the paper
4. Understanding the decision process
5. Revising a paper
6. Answering queries
7. Reviewing proofs
1. Identifying a target journal or Journal selection
• After preparing a manuscript, your next step is to choose a journal for the publication of
your research.
• There are several criteria that should be considered in accurately selecting a journal for
manuscript submission.
Criteria 1 Criteria 2
The most common yet avoidable reason for What is the readership and target audience?
journal rejection is mismatch between the If your paper is highly specialized or
manuscript and the journal aims and scope. technical, you’ll do better to publish in a
First, determine whether the subject matter of
journal with a small but very specific target
your article matches that of the target journal.
audience.
Consider the sort of research that the journal
focuses on. Is it theoretical or applied? Reaching the right readership can
Match between the subject of your article and sometimes be more important than
the journal's aim and scope. reaching a wide readership.
Criteria 3
Is the journal highly visible? Once your paper is published, it should be easy to find by other
researchers. Journal visibility plays an important role in this regard. Is the journal available online?
Publishing in journals that are only circulated in print can seriously limit the number of people coming
across or reading your work.
Criteria 4
What is the “CV value of publication”? Some authors put a premium on journal prestige. Here are
some factors to consider. Editorial board members. Prestigious journals usually have eminent
researchers as members of their Editorial Board. Visit the journal website to check the names on the
Editorial Board. Are the Board members well-known in your field of study? Journal sponsorship. Is
the journal owned or sponsored by a prestigious society in your field? What is the journal's impact
factor? Don’t just look at the actual impact factor, since impact factor values vary by field. Consider
the impact factor relative to those of similar journals within your field.
Criteria 5
What is the journal’s turnaround time? How many issues does the journal publish in a year? A
monthly journal is much more likely to review your article quickly compared with a journal that only
publishes once a year. Some journals list the date submitted and date accepted. Comparing these dates
will give an approximate idea of the turnaround time.
2. Checklist for journal selection
While you choose a journal for publication, you should ensure the following:
1. Does the subject of your article match the journal's subject focus?
2. Does the journal accept the article type you intend to submit?
3. Is the journal read by your target audience?
4. Does the journal have an online edition?
5. Is the journal's impact factor in line with your requirements?
6. Is the journal regarded as a prestigious one in its field by colleagues and
peers?
7. What is the turnaround time for articles submitted to the journal?
8. How many times a year is the journal published?
9. What are the publication charges?
10. Is the length and structure of you manuscript acceptable to the journal?
 Following the journal’s instructions
• Read the instructions to authors before starting to prepare your paper, regard them
while preparing your paper and check the them again before submitting your paper.
• Look at some recent issues of the journal. Doing so can help you gear your paper to
the journal.
Some Questions the Instructions May Answer
1. What categories of article does the 8. What guidelines should be followed regarding
journal publish? writing style?
2. What is the maximum length of articles? 9. How many figures and tables are allowed?
3. What is the maximum length of 10.What are the requirements for them?
abstracts? 11.In what format should references appear?
4. Does the journal have a template for 12.Is the a maximum number of references?
articles? 13.In what electronic format should the paper be
5. If so, how can it be accessed? prepared
6. What sections should the article include?
7. What are the guidelines for each?
3. Submitting the Paper
Find out the journals that could be best suited for publishing your research. Match your
manuscript using the JournalFinder tool, then learn more about each journal.
Prepare your paper for submission according to the understanding polices of selected journal.
It covers topics such as authors' rights, ethics and plagiarism, and journal and article metrics.

Methods of submission of paper

1. Traditional submission (by mail)
2. Electronic submission
3. Inclusion of a cover letter (conventional or electronic)
4. Completion of required forms
Journal Polices
Initial Screening by the Journal Peer Review Evaluation by experts in the field
A. For appropriateness of subject matter Purposes:
B. For compliance with instructions • To help the editor decide whether to publish the paper.
• To help the authors improve the paper, whether or not the journal
C. For overall quality (sometimes)
accepts it
 4. Understanding the decision process
Based on the peer reviewers’ advice, the editor’s own evaluation, the amount of
space in the journal, other factors
Options:
• Acceptance without revision (a rare event)
• Acceptance with minor revisions
• Revise (major changes – usually with additional experiments required; Editor
usually sends the revised manuscript back to one or more of original reviewers)
• Reject (with encouragement to re-submit after extensive revisions and addition
of new experimental data to address the flaws/issues in the original manuscript)
• Reject (submit to another journal)
5. Revising a Paper
• The goal is to improve the
paper and get it accepted for
publication. So, Revise and
resubmit promptly.
• Include a letter saying what
revisions were made. If you
received a list of requested
revisions, address each in the
letter.
• If you disagree with a
requested revision, explain
why in your letter. Try to find
a different way to solve the
problem the editor or reviewer
identified.
The reviewers may have made some changes in RED.
Please, use the attached file to revise your paper.
1. Insert your paper in the journal template and format
the paper as mentioned in the review details form.
2. Highlight your changes in BLUE so that we can
easily find out what revisions you have made.
3. After highlighting the changes in the main paper in
BLUE, you should complete the REVIEW
CHECKLIST and send it to the journal with the final
revised paper inserted in the template. In the
REVIEW CHECKLIST, in every section including
the abstract, introduction and …you should explain in
short, how you have answered the reviewers’
comments (if any comment has been given).
4. Refer to the review result form for further possible
comments.
5. Send the revised version (with changes highlighted in
BLUE) and the cover letter not later than 5 days.
6. The final version should only be sent in word file.

6. Answering Queries
• Queries: questions from the
manuscript editor
1. Some topics of queries:
2. Inconsistencies
3. Missing information
4. Ambiguities
5. Other
6. Advice: Respond promptly,
politely, and completely yet
concisely.
7. Reviewing proofs
• After acceptance, authors are sent proofs
of their manuscript but only changes to
the title, author list, spelling, grammar,
formatting, or scientific errors will be
permitted.
• All corrections must be approved by the
publishing team.
• When all editorial issues are resolved, your
paper will be formally accepted for
publication.
8. Final Step
First, Celebrate Publication of Your Paper!
Then: Some journals publish the paper online as a PDF file of
the final manuscript that was accepted for publication (days to
weeks).
FOR YOUR PUBLICATION: JOURNAL
SELECTION TACTICS
or
Selection of Suitable Journal
1. Make a List of the Journals Available
• It is essential to obtain reasonably comprehensive knowledge about available
journals in the given subject area. Consulting your peers, searching through online
listings, and checking with professional associations can help us get a list of the
journals.
2. Determine the Impact of the Journal
• Quantitative measures such as the Impact Factor, Journal Rank, Article Influence,
and h-Index are used to determine the impact of the journal. These are generally
linked to the citation rate for articles published in the journal; however, these
values and the absolute numbers of citations can both be scrutinized.
3. Make Sure the Journal Scope and Policies match your Needs
• The subject areas covered and the types of articles published should be ascertained.
This will contribute towards addressing the suitable target audience. Further, you
should go through the editorial policies and practices of the journal. This would
help to anticipate any situations that may emerge during the submission and peer
review process.
4. Check the Journal Requirements and Distribution
• Most journals have a certain style for the article. The article must be consistent
with the requirements of the journal. The mode of distribution (print/online) and
number of subscribers determine the reach of the journal. For open access, where
the content is available to all, having an estimate of the typical number of readers
helps. This would mean that your article would reach that many number of people.
5. Collect Information about the Journal’s Peer Review Process
• Information about the peer review process for the specific journal, including
stature of reviewers, objectivity, and timelines, should also be gleaned from a
variety of sources. Actual values or estimates of rejection rates should be obtained.
6. Check the “Instructions for Authors” thoroughly
• The “Instruction for Authors” has certain additional information for the authors
that one must keep in mind before submitting the manuscript. For example, topics
that are welcome, discouraged, page limit etc. may be mentioned here, that are
important for the authors. Therefore, this list must be thoroughly checked
7. Other considerations
Of course, given the sheer number of scientific publishers and journals out there, there are many more
factors that may influence your decision. Below we discuss a few additional journal features that you may
want to keep in mind when deciding where to submit:
A. Indexing: Indexing services are essentially literature databases: PubMed and Scopus are the main
indexing services used by researchers in the biomedical sciences. If you’re considering submitting to
an unfamiliar journal, you may want to quickly check the information available on their website to
ensure that they are indexed prior to submission.
B. APCs: The article processing charge, or APC, is the fee that you will be charged to publish in a
journal. APCs can vary dramatically, and often reflect differences in the editorial or peer review model
of the journal. Every journal should state the amount they charge for an APC clearly on their website.
Importantly, this charge will be assessed after your article has been accepted for publication; a journal
that attempts to charge you upon submission is likely a predatory journal, and should be avoided.
C. Peer review model: While the vast majority of journals follow a pre-publication peer review model,
as publishing continues to evolve some journals are now experimenting with post-publication, in
which a paper is published without peer review and reviewers are then invited to publically comment
on or review the paper. While this option provides a much quicker route to publication than the
standard pre-publication peer review model, it is new enough that some institutions or funding
organizations may be unsure what to think of papers published within these journals, so consider
carefully whether this is the right choice for you.
D. Transfer cascades: One aspect of scientific publishing that many researchers are unfamiliar with is
the existence of ‘families’ or portfolios of journals within a single publishing house. Many portfolios
with prestigious journals that receive a high volume of submissions also contain less competitive
journals that publish papers on the same or similar topics.
What is a predatory journal?
• A predatory journal is a publication that actively asks researchers for manuscripts.
They have no peer review system and no true editorial board and are often found
to publish mediocre or even worthless papers. They also ask for huge publication
charges.
How are predatory journals different than Open Access journals?
• Open Access journals may solicit authors to publish for a fee, but maintain high
standards for peer review and editing. The goal of Open Access publishing is to
disseminate research to a larger audience by removing paywalls. Open Access
journals can have Impact Factors and can create a citation advantage for authors.
How can you spot a predatory journal?
1. Do you or your colleagues know the journal? Do you recognize the editorial board?
2. Can you easily contact the publisher?
3. Is the journal clear about their peer review process?
4. Is it clear what fees will be charged?

If the answer is no for any of these questions, the journal is most likely questionable, if not
predatory.
How common are predatory journals?
• As of 2015, there were an estimated 996
predatory publishers (including 447 publishers of
standalone journals) that published over 11,800
journals.
• Of those, roughly 8,000 journal titles were active
and published a total of approximately 420,000
articles.
Abstracting
and
Indexing

• An abstracting service is a service that provides
abstracts of publications, often on a subject or group
of related subjects, usually on a subscription basis.
• An indexing service is a service that assigns
descriptors and other kinds of access points to
documents. The word indexing service is today
mostly used for computer programs, but may also
cover services providing back-of-the-book indexes,
journal indexes, and related kinds of indexes.
• An indexing and abstracting service is a service that
provides shortening or summarizing of documents
and assigning of descriptors for referencing
documents.
Full list of databases and services
•Academic OneFile
•Academic Search Alumni Edition
•Academic Search Complete
•Academic Search Research and Development
•Advanced Technologies Database with Aerospace
•Aerospace Database
•Aluminium Industry Abstracts
•ANTE: Abstracts in New Technologies and Engineering
•Cabell’s Directories
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/aaa/ai/
•Civil Engineering Abstracts
•CNKI Scholar
•Computer and Information Systems Abstracts
•Corrosion Abstracts
•Current Abstracts
•Current Index to Statistics (CIS)
•Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)
•EBSCO Discovery Service
•EBSCO Engineering Source
•EBSCO MainFile
•EBSCO MegaFILE
•EBSCOhost Connection
•EBSCOhost Research Databases
•Electronics and Communications Abstracts
•Engineered Materials Abstracts
•Engineering Research Database
•Euclid Prime
•Google Scholar
•HighBeam Research
•InfoTrac Custom journals
•J-Gate Portal
•Mathematical Reviews (MathSciNet)
•Mechanical and Transportation Engineering Abstracts
•Open Access Journals Integrated Service System Project (GoOA)
•Primo Central Index
•ProQuest Advanced Technologies and Aerospace Collection
•ProQuest Computer Science Journals
•ProQuest Engineering Collection
•ProQuest SciTech Premium Collection
•ProQuest Technology Collection
•Referativnyi Zhurnal (VINITI)
•RePEc
•Scopus
•Statistical Theory and Method Abstracts (STMA-Z)
•Technology Research Database
•The Electronic Library of Mathematics (EMIS ELibM)
•The Summon Service
•TOC Premier
•WorldCat Discovery Services
•Zentralblatt MATH Database (zbMATH)
Indexation of a journal
• Indexation of a journal is considered a
reflection of its quality. Indexed journals are
considered to be of higher scientific quality
as compared to non-indexed journals.
• Indexation of medical journals has become a
debatable issue. For a long-time Index
Medicus has been the most comprehensive
index of medical scientific journal articles
from since 1879.
• Over the years, many other popular
indexation services have developed. These
include MedLine, PubMed, EMBASE,
SCOPUS, EBSCO Publishing's Electronic
Databases, SCIRUS among others.
General and discipline-specific scholarly indexing
databases
1. Ulrichsweb: A general database for periodicals
across disciplines.
2. Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ): A
community-curated online directory of peer-
reviewed open access journals (we compiled a
complete guide to DOAJ indexing here).
3. Scopus: The largest abstract and citation database
of peer-reviewed literature.
4. Web of Science: One of the largest global citation
databases (we compiled a complete guide to WoS
indexing here).
5. Academic Search (EBSCO): A full-text coverage
database of scholarly journal, magazine, and
newspaper articles.
 Scopus is the largest abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature:
scientific journals, books and conference proceedings. Delivering a
comprehensive overview of the world's research output in the fields of science,
technology, medicine, social sciences, and arts and humanities, Scopus features
smart tools to track, analyse and visualise research.
Scopus is Elsevier’s abstract and citation database launched in
2004.
Scopus covers nearly 36,377 titles (22,794 active titles and 13,583
inactive titles) from approximately 11,678 publishers, of which
34,346 are peer-reviewed journals in top-level subject fields: life
sciences, social sciences, physical sciences and health sciences.
It covers three types of sources: book series, journals, and trade
journals.
All journals covered in the Scopus database are reviewed for
sufficiently high quality each year according to four types of
numerical quality measure for each title; those are h-Index,
CiteScore, SJR (SCImago Journal Rank) and SNIP (Source
Normalized Impact per Paper). Searches in Scopus also
incorporate searches of patent databases.
Features of the database
• Covers scientific literature
citations and web resources
• Content updated daily
• 46 million records
• 22,794 active titles
• 13,583 inactive titles
• 11,678 publishers (Approximately)
• 34,346 are peer-reviewed journals
• Includes conference papers and
proceedings, scientific web pages,
and patents
Other Features
• Citations - Total number of citations
received by journal in each year
• Docs - Total number of documents
published in the journal in each year
• Percent Not Cited - Percentage of
articles not cited in each year
• Percent Reviews - Percentage of
articles that are review
Coverage of source types
1 Serial source types
• Journals
• Trade journals
• Book series
• Conference material
2 Non-serial sources
A non-serial source is a publication with an ISBN unless it is a
report, part of a book series, proceeding (non-serial) or patent. It can
have differentphysical formats (e.g., print, electronic) and is usually
a monograph or composed work.
Subjects covered under Scopus

Conclusion
This guide is updated annually and is designed to
provide a complete overview of the content coverage in
Scopus and corresponding policies. As Scopus is
updated daily, the numbers presented in this guide may
differ from current numbers.
To find up-to-date content numbers, please refer to the
content page of our info site:
https://www.elsevier.com/solutions/scopus/content.
The numbers presented on the info site are updated
regularly throughout the year.
 Web of Science (previously known as Web of Knowledge) is a website that
provides subscription-based access to multiple databases that provide
comprehensive citation data for many different academic disciplines.
It was originally produced by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) and is
currently maintained by Clarivate Analytics (previously the Intellectual Property
and Science business of Thomson Reuters.

HISTORY OF Web of Science

1. "As We May Think" is a 1945 essay by Vannevar Bush which has been described as visionary and
influential, anticipating many aspects of information society. It was first published in The Atlantic in
July 1945.
2. Eugene Eli Garfield inspired by Vannevar Bush’s highly cited 1945 article “AS WE MAY THINK”,
then he founded Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) in 1955.
3. Eugene Garfield the “father of citation indexing”, who launched the Science Citation Index (SCI) in
1964.
4. At first citation indexing publishes in print and compact disc forms, now available in web.
5. ISI formed a major part of the science division of Thomson Reuters. In October 2016 Thomson
Reuters completed the sale of its intellectual property and science division; it is now known as
Clarivate Analytics.
6. Web of Science previously known as “Web of Knowledge”
 AIMS AND SCOPE
• WEB OF SCIENCE AND ACADEMIC RESEARCHER is an international journal
intended to fill the present need for the dissemination of new information, ideas
and methods, to both practitioners and academicians in the Law area, Political
Science, Philosophy, Psychology and Linguistics. WOS-Journal is concerned with
all aspects of Law system in terms of their relationships to each other.
• Although materials are presented relating to sections with several subject, the
emphasis of the WOS-Journal is to tie together the functioning of these elements
and to illustrate the effects of their interactions. Articles that reflects the application
of new disciplines or analytical methodologies to the issues of chosen scientific
sections are of special interest.
• Since the purpose of WOS-Journal is to provide a forum for the dissemination of
new ideas, new information, and the application of new methods to the problems
and functions of the Law system, Political Science, Philosophy, Psychology and
Linguistics, the WOS-Journal emphasizes innovation and creative thought of the
highest quality, presenting by itself best Ukrainian Scientific Platform.
Relation between WOS and Citation Indexing
• A citation is the text reference and acknowledgement of documented
information.
• Count is the frequency of an article cited by other articles.
• A citation index is a kind of bibliographic database, an index of
citation between publications, allowing the user to easily establish
which later document site which earlier document.
• Citation indexing consists of the charting of the text details of each
such reference.
• Citation indexing publishes the citation indexes in print and compact
disc forms, which are generally accessed through the web under the
name ‘Web of Science’ (WOS).
CORE COLLECTION OF WEB OF SCIENCE
Web of Science is a curated collection of over
20,000 peers - reviewed; high-quality scholarly
journals published worldwide (including Open
Access journals) in over 250 science, social
sciences, and humanities disciplines. Conference
proceedings and book data are also available.
• Content: Life sciences, biomedical sciences,
engineering, social sciences, arts & humanities
• Number of journals: 20,300 journals + books
and conference proceedings
• Coverage: Over 71 million records, More than
94,000 books, Over 10 million conference
papers
Regional databases
1. Chinese Science Citation Database
2. SciELO Citation Index
3. Korea Citation Index
4. Russian Science Citation Index
DATABASES COVERED:
Science Citation Index, Social Sciences Citation
Index, Arts & Humanities Citation Index, Conference
Proceedings Citation Index, Book Citation Index,
Emerging Sources Citation Index.
Time period covered:
• Sciences: 1900-present,
• Social Sciences: 1900-present,
• Arts & Humanities: 1975-present,
• Proceedings: 1990-present,
• Books: 2005-present,
• Emerging Source Citation Index: 2005-present
Cited references: > 1 billion (1900 to present) 64
million items with cited references
• Author indexing: All authors from all
publications are indexed.
• Institution indexing: Institution’s variants and
parent/child relationships are mapped and
connected to a preferred institutional name
through a manually-curated process.
 Search technique of Web of Science
• OPERATOR: AND, OR, NOT, NEAR, and SAME
• Boolean Operators: Boolean Operators are words
used to combine or exclude keywords in a search.
They help to produce more focused search result.
AND: Use AND to find records containing all terms separated by the
operator. EXAMPLE: Blood pressure AND Stroke
OR: Use OR to find records containing any of the terms separated by the
operator. EXAMPLE: Myocardial OR Heart attack
NOT: Use NOT to exclude records containing certain words from your
search. EXAMPLE: Cardiovascular disease NOT Heart attack
Note: When searching for organization names that contain a Boolean (AND,
NOT, NEAR, and SAME), always enclose the word in quotation marks ( “ ”)

EXAMPLE ANOTHER TECHNIQUE

• (Japan Science "and" Technology Agency (JST)) • "Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)"
• ("Near" East Univ) • "Near East Univ"
• ("OR" Hlth Sci Univ) • "OR Hlth Sci Univ
 Impact factor
An Impact Factor is a quantitative measure of the relative importance of a
journal, individual article or scientist to science and social science literature and
research.
• The impact factor (IF) or journal impact factor Calculation
(JIF) of an academic journal is a scientometric In any given year, the two-year journal impact factor
index calculated by Clarivate that reflects the is the ratio between the number of citations received
yearly average number of citations of articles in that year for publications in that journal that were
published in the two preceding years and the total
published in the last two years in a given journal,
number of "citable items" published in that journal
as indexed by Clarivate's Web of Science. during the two preceding years
• As journals with higher impact factor values are
given status of being more important, or carry
more prestige in their respective fields, than
those with lower values.
• While frequently used by universities and
funding bodies to decide on promotion and This means that, on average, its papers published in 2015 and
2016 received roughly 42 citations each in 2017. Note that 2017
research proposals, it has recently come under impact factors are reported in 2018; they cannot be calculated
attack for distorting good scientific practices until all of the 2017 publications have been processed by the
indexing agency.

Implications of Impact Factor
1. Tell us how frequently has the average
article in a journal been cited in a particular
year.
2. Tell us something about a journal as a whole
e.g. the extent to which its recently
published papers were cited in a given year.
3. Impact factor > 1 implied a journal is
frequently cited
4. Higher citations rate means your article has
higher chances of getting cited or read by
researchers.
5. Tells us NOTHING concrete about any
specific paper or specific author.
JOURNAL IMPACT FACTOR -
(THOMSON REUTERS)
• Developed in the 60’s
• Eugene Garfield and Irving Sher
• To help select journals for the SCI
Journal Citation Reports first
produced in 1975.
SUMMARY
1. The impact factor is a very useful tool for
evaluation of journals, but it must be used
discreetly.
2. Considerations include the amount of
review or other types of material published
in a journal, variations between disciplines,
and item-by-item impact.
3. The journal's status in regard to coverage in
the JCR databases as well as the occurrence
of a title change are also very important.
 The H-index or Hirsch index
• The H-index was proposed by J.E. Hirsch in 2005 and published in the Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. The h-index
correlates with obvious success indicators such as winning the Nobel Prize.
• The h index is a quantitative metric based on The H index takes into account two
analysis of publication data using publications things:
and citations to provide “an estimate of the 1. The researcher’s PRODUCTIVITY
importance, significance, and broad impact of (number of publications a researcher
a scientist’s cumulative research has produced)
contributions.” 2. The IMPACT of that researcher’s
• According to Hirsch, the h index is defined as: publications (how many citations the
“A scientist has index H if h of his or her Np researcher’s publications have
papers have at least H citations each and the received)
other (Np – H) papers have ≤h citations
each.”

Hirsch JE. An index to quantify an individual's scientific research output. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 November 15; 102(46): 16569–16572. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0507655102
 How Calculated
Number of papers (h) that have received at least h citations.

• For example, a scholar with an h-index of 5 had published 5 papers, each of

which has been cited by others at least 5 times. The links below will take you to
other areas within this guide which explain how to find an author's h-index using
specific platforms.
• For example, an author with only one publication can have a maximum h-index
of 1 (if their publication has 1 or more citations).
• On the other hand, an author with many publications, each with only 1 citation,
would have a h-index of 1.
The following resources will calculate an h-index:
1. Scopus
2. Web of Science
3. Google Scholar
4. Pure (MD Anderson Faculty and Fellows listed)
 Advantages of the h-index
• Simple: easy to generate and easy to
understand
• Valid: correlates well with career
achievements and soft judgments about
reputation
• Credible: difficult to game
• Flexible: any set of papers can have an
h-index
Search Steps in different database
Scopus Search Steps:
1. Do Author search
2. Click on author’s name in the search results
3. H index is provided underneath the Research
heading (a number of other indicators of research
output are also provided here)
Web of Science Steps:
1. Search for researcher name and select Author
from drop down menu
2. Click create citation report
Google Scholar
Two ways to get a researcher’s h index in Google
Scholar:
1. Google Scholar Profile (you need to create one)
2. If no scholar profile, download Publish or Perish
and use it to calculate your h-index using Google
Scholar data .
 What is Research?
• Research is “Creative and Systematic work undertaken to increase
the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of Humans,
Culture and Society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to
devise new Applications”.
• It involves the Collection, Organization, and Analysis of information to
increase our understanding of a topic or issue.
 Steps Involve in research Problem

1. Pose a question.
2. Collect data to answer the question.
3. Present an answer to the question.
This should be a familiar process. You engage in solving problems every
day and you start with a question, collect some information, and then
form an answer.
 Why research is important ?
1. Research adds to our knowledge: Adding to knowledge means that
educators undertake research to contribute to existing information about
issues
2. Research improves practice: Research is also important because it suggests
improvements for practice. Armed with research results, teachers and other
educators become more effective professionals.
3. Research informs policy debates: research also provides information to
policy makers when they research and debate educational topics
 What is a Research Problem ?
• A research problem is a statement about an area
of concern, a condition to be improved, a
difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question
that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or in
practice that points to the need for meaningful
understanding and deliberate investigation.
 Formulating a research problem
• The general topic or problem has been identified, this should then be stated as a
clear research problem, that is, taken from just a statement about a problematic
situation to a clearly defined researchable problem that identifies the issues you
are trying to address.
• The certain aim of this chapter is to detail the process of problem formulation.
The specific process that you are likely to adopt depends upon:
1. Your expertise in research methodology
2. Your knowledge of the subject area
3. Your understanding of the issues to be examined
4. The extent to which the focus of your study is predetermined
The importance of formulating a research problem
• The formulation of a research problem is the first and most important step of the research
process.
• Kerlinger (1986) ‘If one wants to solve a problem, one must generally know what the
problem is. It can be said that a large part of the problem lies in knowing what one is trying to
do’.
The ways you formulate a problem Sources of research problems
determine almost every step follow: Most research in the humanities
1. The type of study design that can be used revolves around four Ps:
2. The type of sampling strategy that can be 1. People
employed 2. Problems
3. The research instrument that can be used or 3. Programs
developed 4. Phenomena.
4. The type of analysis that can be undertaken
The importance of formulating a research
problem.
Considerations in selecting a research problem
When selecting a research problem/topic there are a number of considerations to keep in
mind. There are seven main points such as:
1. Interest: should be the most important consideration in selecting a research problem.
2. Magnitude: should have sufficient knowledge about the research process to be able to visualize the
work involved in completing the proposed study.
3. Measurement of concepts : if you are using a concept in your study, make sure you are clear about its
indicators and their measurement. For example: if you plan to measure the effectiveness of a health
promotion program, you must be clear as to what determines effectiveness and how it will be measured.
Do not use concept in your research problem that you are not sure how to measure.
4. Level of expertise : Make sure you have an adequate level of expertise for the task you are proposing.
5. Relevance : select a topic that is of relevance to you as a professional. Ensure that you study adds to
the existing body of knowledge, bridges current gaps or useful in policy formulation.
6. Availability of data : if you topic entails collection of information from secondary sources(office
record, client , records, census or other already-polished reports, ect..) before finalizing your topic
make sure that these data are available and in the format you want.
7. Ethical issues : other important consideration in formulating a research problem is the ethical issues
involved.
 Steps in the formulation of a research problem
• A step in the formulation of a research problem is the most crucial part of the
research journey on which the quality of the entire project depends. Steps in
formulating research problem:
• Step1: Identify a broad field or subject area of interest to you. Asked yourself,
what is it that really interest me as a professional.
• Step 2: Dessert the broad area into subareas. You will relies that all the broad areas
mentioned.
• Step 3: Select what is of most interest to you.
It is neither advisable nor feasible to study all subareas.
Select issues or subareas about which you are passionate.
• Step 4: Raise research questions
What is it that I want to find out about in the subareas?
Asked the question what you want to find yourself in a situation. Steps in the formulation
of a research problem
Step 5: Formulate objectives Formulate your main objectives and your sub
objectives
The main difference between objectives and research questions is in to behavioral
aims by using action –oriented words such as to find out, to determine’ , ‘to
ascertain and ‘to examine’.
Step 6: Assess your objectives - Now examine your objectives to ascertain the
feasibility o achieving them through your research endeavor.
Consider them in the light of the time, resources (financial and human) and
technical expertise at your disposal.
Step 7: Double-check. - Go back and give final consideration to whether or not
you are sufficiently interested in the study, and have adequate resources to
undertake it.
Ask yourself , am I really enthusiastic about this study?
Do I really have enough resources to undertake it?
Answer these questions thoughtfully and realistically?
 Importance of Formulating a Research Problem
1. Formulation means translating and transforming the selected
research problem into a scientifically researchable question.
2. The formulation of a research problem is the first and most
important step of the research process.
3. It is like the identification of a destination before undertaking a
journey. The problem selected for research may initially be vague.
4. The question to be studied may not be clear. Why the answer/
solution is wanted also may not be known.
5. The formulation of a problem is like the ‘input’ to a study and the
‘output’(quality of the contents and validity of the associations or
causation established) is entirely dependent upon it.
 Discussion
The discussion chapter is where you delve into the meaning, importance and relevance of
your results. It should focus on explaining and evaluating what you found, showing how it
relates to your literature review and research questions, and making an argument in
support of your overall conclusion. There are many different ways to write this section,
but you can focus your discussion around four key elements:
 Interpretations: what do the results mean?
 Implications: why do the results matter?
 Limitations: what can’t the results tell us?
 Recommendations: what practical actions or scientific studies should follow?

There is often overlap between the discussion and conclusion, and in some dissertations
these two sections are included in a single chapter. Occasionally, the results and
discussion will be combined into one chapter. If you’re unsure of the best structure for
your research, look at sample dissertations in your field or consult your supervisor.
The common mistakes people make when writing their discussion
1. Simply repeating their results section, with little reference to existing literature.
2. Making conclusions that cannot be made from their data — you need to be able to
differentiate between strong and weak results (do not exaggerate your findings).
3. Focusing too much on the limitations of the study, which can make readers question the
relevance of the work. In contrast, some can completely forget to acknowledge the
limitations of their study.
4. Repeating what was already said in the introduction without linking it to the results.
5. Providing no conclusions.
6. Introducing topics that were not covered by the study’s results/findings.
7. To avoid these mistakes, bear in mind that in your discussion section you are expected to
interpret and explain your results, link them to other studies, answer your research
question(s) and evaluate your study. You can consider following this sequence:
(1) refer to your research question;
(2) provide the answer;
(3) justify it with relevant results;
(4) link your work to the work of others.
 Reference and Reference Writing Pattern
Reference is a relationship between objects in which one object designates, or acts as a
means by which to connect to or link to, another object.
1. The first object in this relation is said to refer to the second object. It is called a
name for the second object.
2. The second object, the one to which the first object refers, is called the referent of
the first object.
3. A name is usually a phrase or expression, or some other symbolic representation.
4. Its referent may be anything – a material object, a person, an event, an activity, or
an abstract concept.
References in Dissertation/Thesis and Research Article
The Bibliography or List of References appears after the Body of the Document. It is
a complete listing of all cited resources used to create your document. Even though
Journal Model authors may have individual Reference sections for each article, this
complete Reference list of all citations must appear at the end of the entire manuscript.
The basics of a Reference List entry for an unpublished thesis:
1. Author. The surname is followed by first initials.
2. Year. Example of unpublished thesis:
3. Title (in single inverted commas). ​Kyei-Nimakoh, M 2017, ‘Management and referral of obstetric
complications: a study in the upper east region of Ghana’, PhD
4. Level of Thesis. thesis, Victoria University, Melbourne.
5. University.
6. City.
 Submission and Handling of Reviewer Comments
When a manuscript is submitted to a peer reviewed journal, if it is not rejected then it is
almost inevitable that the authors will be asked to revise their manuscript before re-
submission.

Purpose of peer review

1. To improve quality of the published paper
Ensure previous work is acknowledged
2. Frequently detects fraud and plagiarism
3. Determine the importance of findings
4. Assess the originality and significance of the work
Identify mistakes in the methodology, lack of
originality, conclusions not supported by results
5. Highlight omissions in the reference list and any ethics
concerns.

A simplified flowchart of peer review is illustrated in the figure.

 Why do reviewers review? How to address reviewers' comments
1. Sense of “duty” to the field The best advice here is to follow the process outlined by Williams
“Sharing economy” of reviewers (2004) who said:
as authors (and vice versa) 1. Answer Politely
2. Enjoy reviewing 2. Answer Completely
3. Awareness of new research and 3. Answer With evidence
developments at an early stage
4. Career development Answering politely means never being insulting to the reviewers,
the editor or the journal publishers; it is pointless and unlikely to
5. Help with own research or new
advance your case for publication. As editors we do our best to
ideas discourage inappropriate comments by reviewers and to edit out
6. Association with journal, editor any that they may make. If any of these to filter through to you
or scholarly society then do not 'rise to the bait' and reply in kind; stick to the point that
is being raised.
Answering completely means two things: responding to all the points that are raised; and responding to each of the
points as thoroughly as you can.
Your 'default' setting ought to be a willingness to make any necessary changes but if there are contradictory points
between reviewers and/or a reviewer has actually misunderstood you or is patently wrong, then these points still
need to be addressed. The worst mistake you can make is to ignore a point. And, if you are pointing out an error or
a misunderstanding, then refer to the point above about being polite.
Answering completely means two things: responding to all the points that are raised; and
responding to each of the points as thoroughly as you can. Your 'default' setting ought to be a
willingness to make any necessary changes but if there are contradictory points between
reviewers and/or a reviewer has actually misunderstood you or is patently wrong, then these
points still need to be addressed. The worst mistake you can make is to ignore a point. And, if
you are pointing out an error or a misunderstanding, then refer to the point above about being
polite.