Sahel Medical Journal (Jan 2019)
Research productivity of academic staff in a Medical School
Abstract
Background: Research productivity is a measure of achievement of a scholar. The number of research publication in peer-reviewed journals and scholastic presentations in conferences and other gatherings of peers are important criteria for assessing productivity and prestige in the academia. Objective: This study aimed to explore the research productivity of the academic staff of a College of Medical Sciences in a Nigerian University. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional design study was conducted among 51 academics at the College of Medical Sciences, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria. The participants completed a 31-item questionnaire that explored information on their research publication and conferences presentations in the past 3 years. The questionnaire also elicited information on their teaching load, and the time devoted to research per week. The questionnaire also elicited information on journals, in which the academics published their research, and on any institutional and departmental support for research that is available to them. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: Overall, the mean number of research publication in 3 years for this cohort of academics was 6.6 ± 6.8 (median = 4.0) papers, while that of conference presentation was 4.5 ± 4.0 (median = 4.0) papers in 3 years. Academics in the clinical sciences subgroup tend to have more research papers published and conference papers presented than their counterparts in the Basic and Allied Health Sciences subgroup. The overall subgroups combined number of research papers published increases absolutely but not significantly with age and rank. Conclusion: Using a productivity threshold set at six papers in 3 years, many academics in this cohort may not be considered to be highly productive. Future studies on an expanded scale are needed to elucidate on the present findings.
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