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Comparative analysis of selected Personal Bibliographic Management Software (PBMS) with special reference to the requirements of researchers at a University of Technology

Thesis (MPhil (Information Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005.

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Main Author: Omar, Yunus
Other Authors: Van der Walt, M. S.
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch 2008
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access_status_str Open Access
author Omar, Yunus
author2 Van der Walt, M. S.
author_browse Omar, Yunus
Van der Walt, M. S.
author_facet Van der Walt, M. S.
Omar, Yunus
author_sort Omar, Yunus
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv University of Stellenbosch
description Thesis (MPhil (Information Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/3410
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:42:48.374Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2008
publishDateRange 2008
publishDateSort 2008
publisher Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
publisherStr Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/3410 Comparative analysis of selected Personal Bibliographic Management Software (PBMS) with special reference to the requirements of researchers at a University of Technology Omar, Yunus Van der Walt, M. S. University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Information Science. Bibliography -- Methodology -- Computer programs Bibliography -- Databases Bibliographical citations -- Computer programs Business -- Research Technical education Dissertations -- Information science Theses -- Information science Thesis (MPhil (Information Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. The incidence of referencing errors in research is difficult to manage due to the many types of bibliographic sources that have to be referenced. Preventing referencing errors is an essential part of bibliographic management and PBMS (Personal Bibliographic Management Systems) have been designed to manage this. To design appropriate strategies for preventing the errors, the prevalence of PBMS usage in higher education needs to be investigated. The aim of the research was to determine whether available PBMS used at institutions would address the referencing errors at a UoT (University of Technology), and to recommend a suitable PBMS for the institution. The main research instruments used to gather data consisted of questionnaires, interviews and a head-to-head comparison of five PBMS programs EndNote, ReferenceManager, ProCite, Biblioscape and B3. Researchers in the Faculty of Business were selected because they highlighted the difficulties with referencing errors. Questionnaires were sent to 10 researchers to investigate their awareness of PBMS, the kinds of bibliographic sources they use and the frequency that they reference the sources. A questionnaire, sent to eight libraries in the country ascertained their use of PBMS and whether PBMS reduced referencing errors. These libraries provided a representative sample of the use of PBMS at both historically “White” and “Black” institutions. A questionnaire to editors of journals and an online database investigated the incidence of referencing errors in academic publications and measures to prevent the errors. An interview with a vendor of PBMS revealed the extent of PBMS sales to higher education institutions and the capabilities of the PBMS. A head-to-head comparison, using selected criteria relevant to the study, was done of the five PBMS. The response rate on the questionnaires was 100%. Researchers indicated that they were not aware of PBMS, and were therefore not using any. In higher education, the majority of the libraries used PBMS, and these libraries reported that PBMS had reduced referencing errors. Editors responded that papers submitted for publication do contain referencing errors, but that adherence measures such as peer reviews, referencing guidelines and academic accreditation prevented referencing errors in published research. Data from all the research instruments led to the recommendation of using a combination of two PBMS programs at the UoT. The study has shown that there are software programs available to reduce referencing errors in research at the UoT, through the use of PBMS. Masters 2008-08-12T09:29:22Z 2010-07-09T11:09:34Z 2008-08-12T09:29:22Z 2010-07-09T11:09:34Z 2005-12 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/3410 en University of Stellenbosch application/pdf Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
spellingShingle Bibliography -- Methodology -- Computer programs
Bibliography -- Databases
Bibliographical citations -- Computer programs
Business -- Research
Technical education
Dissertations -- Information science
Theses -- Information science
Omar, Yunus
Comparative analysis of selected Personal Bibliographic Management Software (PBMS) with special reference to the requirements of researchers at a University of Technology
title Comparative analysis of selected Personal Bibliographic Management Software (PBMS) with special reference to the requirements of researchers at a University of Technology
title_full Comparative analysis of selected Personal Bibliographic Management Software (PBMS) with special reference to the requirements of researchers at a University of Technology
title_fullStr Comparative analysis of selected Personal Bibliographic Management Software (PBMS) with special reference to the requirements of researchers at a University of Technology
title_full_unstemmed Comparative analysis of selected Personal Bibliographic Management Software (PBMS) with special reference to the requirements of researchers at a University of Technology
title_short Comparative analysis of selected Personal Bibliographic Management Software (PBMS) with special reference to the requirements of researchers at a University of Technology
title_sort comparative analysis of selected personal bibliographic management software pbms with special reference to the requirements of researchers at a university of technology
topic Bibliography -- Methodology -- Computer programs
Bibliography -- Databases
Bibliographical citations -- Computer programs
Business -- Research
Technical education
Dissertations -- Information science
Theses -- Information science
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/3410
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