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Researchers’ online visibility : Tensions of visibility, trust and reputation

Kjellberg, Sara LU and Haider, Jutta LU (2018) In Online Information Review
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this article is to understand what role researchers assign to online representations on the new digital communication sites that have emerged, such as Academia, ResearchGate or Mendeley. How are researchers’ online presentations created, managed, accessed and, more generally, viewed by academic researchers themselves? And how are expectations of the academic reward system navigated and re-shaped in response to the possibilities afforded by social media and other digital tools?
Design/methodology/approach – Focus groups have been used for empirical investigation to learn about the role online representation is assigned by the concerned researchers.
Findings – The study shows that traditional scholarly... (More)
Purpose – The purpose of this article is to understand what role researchers assign to online representations on the new digital communication sites that have emerged, such as Academia, ResearchGate or Mendeley. How are researchers’ online presentations created, managed, accessed and, more generally, viewed by academic researchers themselves? And how are expectations of the academic reward system navigated and re-shaped in response to the possibilities afforded by social media and other digital tools?
Design/methodology/approach – Focus groups have been used for empirical investigation to learn about the role online representation is assigned by the concerned researchers.
Findings – The study shows that traditional scholarly communication documents are what also scaffolds trust and builds reputation in the new setting. In this sense, the new social network sites reinforce rather than challenge the importance of formal publications.
Originality/value – An understanding of the different ways in which researchers fathom the complex connection between reputation and trust in relation to online visibility as a measure of, or at least an attempt at, publicity (either within academia or outside it) is essential. This article emphasizes the need to tell different stories by exploring how researchers understand their own practices and reasons for them.
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
scholarly communication
in
Online Information Review
publisher
Emerald Group Publishing Limited
external identifiers
  • scopus:85055115176
ISSN
1468-4527
DOI
10.1108/OIR-07-2017-0211
project
Knowledge in a Digital World: Trust, Credibility and Relevance on the Web
Creating trust: scholars, self-representations and online environments
Digital Cultures Research Node
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
52f2309f-e8c2-4c8e-b9c4-474e2a616128
date added to LUP
2018-03-22 18:08:42
date last changed
2024-02-13 15:59:12
@article{52f2309f-e8c2-4c8e-b9c4-474e2a616128,
  abstract     = {{Purpose – The purpose of this article is to understand what role researchers assign to online representations on the new digital communication sites that have emerged, such as Academia, ResearchGate or Mendeley. How are researchers’ online presentations created, managed, accessed and, more generally, viewed by academic researchers themselves? And how are expectations of the academic reward system navigated and re-shaped in response to the possibilities afforded by social media and other digital tools?<br/>Design/methodology/approach – Focus groups have been used for empirical investigation to learn about the role online representation is assigned by the concerned researchers.<br/>Findings – The study shows that traditional scholarly communication documents are what also scaffolds trust and builds reputation in the new setting. In this sense, the new social network sites reinforce rather than challenge the importance of formal publications.<br/>Originality/value – An understanding of the different ways in which researchers fathom the complex connection between reputation and trust in relation to online visibility as a measure of, or at least an attempt at, publicity (either within academia or outside it) is essential. This article emphasizes the need to tell different stories by exploring how researchers understand their own practices and reasons for them.<br/>}},
  author       = {{Kjellberg, Sara and Haider, Jutta}},
  issn         = {{1468-4527}},
  keywords     = {{scholarly communication}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{10}},
  publisher    = {{Emerald Group Publishing Limited}},
  series       = {{Online Information Review}},
  title        = {{Researchers’ online visibility : Tensions of visibility, trust and reputation}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/53030563/kjellberg_haider_OIR_preprint.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1108/OIR-07-2017-0211}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}