Exploring the utility of Academia.edu: a SWOT analysis
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/ILS-09-2018-0094 |
| Published date | 12 November 2018 |
| Pages | 662-666 |
| Date | 12 November 2018 |
| Author | Ann E. Williams |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,Library & information services |
Exploring the utility of
Academia.edu: a SWOT analysis
Ann E. Williams
Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Abstract
Purpose –This paper aims to analyzethe strengths, weaknesses, opportunities andthreats of the academic
social networking,Academia.edu.
Design/methodology/approach –SWOT analysisis performed to evaluate the platform.
Findings –Academia.edu providesresources that enable scholars to heighten the impact and reachof their
researchwithin a digitally networked environment.
Originality/value –This is one of the first studiesto evaluate the scholarly merits of Academia.edu.
Keywords Altmetrics, Research networks, Academic social networks, Open access publishing,
Academia.edu, Information technology
Paper type Viewpoint
Academia.edu is a social media platform developed for academic researchers to share
scholarly works with a public audience. Sinceits inception in 2008, the site has experienced
rapid growth and is now one of the largest and most commonly used academic social
networking sites (Cutler, 2012;Cutler,2013a, 2013b;Davis, 2015;Gannes, 2011;Kincaid,
2011;Knowles, 2012;Ovadia, 2014;Niyazov et al., 2016;Parr, 2014;Shema, 2012;Thelwall
and Kousha, 2014;Tweney, 2014;Williams and Woodacre, 2016;Williams, 2017a). As the
popularity of the site continuesto expand, increasing scholarly study is warranted. To such
ends, this report offers a SWOT analysis of the site’s primary strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats (for an overview of the SWOT analytic framework, see Pickton
and Wright, 1998;Helmsand Nixon, 2010).
Some of the strengths and weaknessesof Academia.edu are offered below.
Strengths
(1) Altmetrics promoted through Academia.edu include new article postings, viewer-
ship statistics and researcher rankings. These measures are increasingly common
and popular tools used by researchers to showcase the public significance and
impact of their work (Williams, 2017a).
(2) Academia.edu provides a means for publication accessibility and openness that is
not afforded by formal publishing processes.
(3) Academia.edu allows work to be shared by inviting audiences from both within
and outside the academic world to engage with research literature (Ovadia, 2014).
In doing so, the site increases audience size.
(4) Academia.edu informs the authors posting work to the site when an article is cited
as well who is accessing and/or citing the article.
The author would like to thank Rhana Gittens for her research assistance.
ILS
119,11
662
Received9 September 2018
Accepted10 September 2018
Informationand Learning Science
Vol.119 No. 11, 2018
pp. 662-666
© Emerald Publishing Limited
2398-5348
DOI 10.1108/ILS-09-2018-0094
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