Scientific information transfer: a conceptual model for scientific communication in IranDoc
| Published date | 16 November 2010 |
| Pages | 818-828 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/02640471011093516 |
| Date | 16 November 2010 |
| Author | Mahmood Khosrowjerdi,Sirous Alidousti |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
Scientific information transfer:
a conceptual model for scientific
communication in IranDoc
Mahmood Khosrowjerdi and Sirous Alidousti
Iranian Research Institute for Scientific Information and Documentation,
Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to design a conceptual model for the scholarly communication
system in the Iranian Research Institute for Scientific Information and Documentation (IranDoc).
Design/methodology/approach – Some models have been developed to describe the scholarly
communication process in different contexts but few considered this process from the organizational
point of view. In the model, the organizational structure of scientific communication in IranDoc was
considered. This model has four levels:, e.g. person-to-persons (P2P) scientific communication,
person-to-organizations (P2O) scientific communication, organization-to-organizations (O2O) scientific
communication, and organization-to-persons (O2P) scientific communication.
Findings – A conceptual model for scholarlycommunication within IranDocis designed. Scientific and
research institutions can establish their scholarly communication system by customizing the model.
Research limitations/implications – The model is fairly conceptual and does not refer to
technological aspects of the system. The implementation implications of the model are also not
considered, so it could not be used directly in action. As it has been developed specifically for IranDoc,
it may need some revisions to be used in other contexts.
Originality/value – Compared to the earlier models, the main differences and innovations in the
model are: its organizational structure; detailed functions of the organizational
scholarly-communication; researcher based approach of the model; and different and new levels of
the model analysis. This model can be applied in research institutions and generalized to those
institutions in which information plays an important role.
Keywords Communication,Iran, Information management,Higher education, Modelling,
Academic libraries
Paper type Conceptual paper
Introduction
Scientific or scholarly communication in academic settings is a system with the
exchange and sharing of information as its main function (American Library
Association (ALA), 2006; Xia, 2006). Such communication is integral to the day-to-day
academic activities. This is evident in the fact that almost every bo ok or scientific
article refers to other parts of the literature. Such communication plays a key role in
science and technology, contributing to the expansion of knowledge and acceleratio n of
the process of science application without which development of science could never be
accomplished (Hanson, 1973, p. 13; Riyahi, 1995).
In the past, when the number of scientists and researchers was relatively limited,
much of the scientific communication took place through personal contact in
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0264-0473.htm
The preparation of this work would not have been possible without the valuable comments of
Professor Carol Tenopir. The authors are particularly grateful for her helpful comments.
EL
28,6
818
Received 20 May 2009
Revised 14 June 2009
Accepted 23 June 2009
The Electronic Library
Vol. 28 No. 6, 2010
pp. 818-828
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0264-0473
DOI 10.1108/02640471011093516
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