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An empirical study of biological scientists’ article sharing through ResearchGate: Examining attitudinal, normative, and control beliefs

Youngseek Kim (University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA)

Aslib Journal of Information Management

ISSN: 2050-3806

Article publication date: 8 October 2018

Issue publication date: 11 October 2018

1119

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how attitudinal, normative and control beliefs influence scientists’ article sharing through ResearchGate.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey method was employed to examine a research model of scientists’ article sharing through ResearchGate. A total of 264 survey responses from biological scientists in the USA were used to evaluate the research model by using partial least square based structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results showed that scientists’ attitudinal beliefs (i.e. perceived relationship, reputation and risk), normative beliefs (i.e. subjective norm, perceived academic culture and community norm of article sharing) and control belief (i.e. perceived ease of use) all significantly affect their attitudes toward article sharing and article sharing intentions through ResearchGate.

Research limitations/implications

The theory of planned behavior (TPB) was used to develop the research model, and the specific research constructs from prior literature were incorporated in the model. The TPB and related research constructs nicely explained biological scientists’ article sharing through ResearchGate.

Practical implications

This study suggests that academic libraries can better promote their scientists’ article sharing through digital platforms such as institutional repositories as well as scholarly social media. This can be achieved by emphasizing its benefits, including potential relationships or collaborations, positive academic reputation and community norms of article sharing, and by decreasing scientists’ concerns about copyright infringements and effort expectancy involved in article sharing.

Originality/value

As one of the initial studies in scientists’ article sharing through ResearchGate, this study provides a holistic picture of how attitudinal, normative and control beliefs all affect scientists’ article sharing through ResearchGate.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The author would like to acknowledge the ProQuest Pivot for allowing the author to use its CoS scholar database in recruiting the survey participants. The author also would like to acknowledge Lindsey M. Harper for reviewing this article and providing extensive feedback.

Citation

Kim, Y. (2018), "An empirical study of biological scientists’ article sharing through ResearchGate: Examining attitudinal, normative, and control beliefs", Aslib Journal of Information Management, Vol. 70 No. 5, pp. 458-480. https://doi.org/10.1108/AJIM-05-2018-0126

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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