Pathology of Scientific Articles Publishing in the Field of Agriculture as Perceived by Faculty Members and Ph.D. Students (The Case of Colleges of Agriculture at Public Universities, Iran)

Authors
Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, College of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University (TMU), Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Abstract
Scientific publication is considered as one of the basic requirements of scientific community. In this regard, the purpose of this study was analyzing pathology of publishing scientific articles in the field of agriculture from the perspective of faculty members, and PhD. students. The research method was descriptive which was carried out by a survey technique for gathering data. The statistical population consisted of all faculty members and PhD. students of agriculture in the public universities of Iran. The study population was 6,773 people (N= 6773). By using Krejcie and Morgan’s Table and multi stage sampling, 363 people were selected as a sample (n= 363). The data collection tool was a questionnaire of which its validity was confirmed by a panel of faculty members of agricultural extension and education. The reliability of the items of the questionnaire was approved with calculating Cronbach's Alpha test (0.66≤ α≤ 0.92). Injuries of scientific articles publishing were classified in three areas of "publishing background", "publishing structure" and "publishing behavior" by using three branches theory. By taking advantage of factor analysis, three factors entitled "problem statement and research method", "weakness of titles and analysis" and "innovativeness and applicability" could explain 57.68 percent of changes in publication quality of scientific articles. Finally, according to research findings, the status of agricultural education has been explained to improve the quality of the publication of scientific articles.

Keywords


1. Abbasian, A. R., Chizari, M. and Bijani, M. 2017. Farmers’ Views on the Factors Inhibiting the Implementation of Soil Conservation Practices (the Case of Koohdasht Township, Iran). J. Agr. Sci. Tech., 19(4): 797-807.
2. Biswas, A. E. 2015. When Emotion Stands to Reason: A Phenomenological Study of Composition Instructors’ Emotional Responses to Plagiarism. PhD. Dissertation, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio.
3. Broeckelman-Post, M. A. 2009. Building a Culture of Academic Integrity: The Role of Communication in Creating and Changing Understandings and Enactments of Academic Integrity. PhD. Dissertation, Ohio University.
4. Cariappa, M. P., Dalal, S. S. and Chatterjee, K. 2016. To Publish and Perish: A Faustian Bargain or a Hobson's Choice. Med. J. Armed Force. India, 72(2): 168-171.‏
5. Christopher, M. M. 2015. Weighing the Impact (Factor) of Publishing in Veterinary Journals. J. Vet. Cardiol., 17(2): 77-82.‏
6. Einstein, A. 2015. Writing and Publishing a Scientific Paper: Facts, Myths and Realities. Med. J. Armed Force. India, 71(107): 107ـ111.
7. Hall, C. M. 2011. Publish and Perish? Bibliometric Analysis, Journal Ranking and the Assessment of Research Quality in Tourism. Tour. Manage., 32(1): 16-27.‏
8. Ibegbulam, I. J. and Jacintha, E. U. 2016. Factors that Contribute to Research and Publication Output among Librarians in Nigerian University Libraries. J. Acad. Librarianship, 42(1): 15-20.‏
9. Islami-Ardekani, S. H. 2013. Fatness or Swelling; an Analysis of (Non) Scholarly Articles in Humanities. Method. Soc. Sci. Human., 19(74-75): 91-119. (in Persian)
10. Kazemi, A. H. 2008. Difficulties in Measuring Scientific Output of Iran. Health Inform. Manage., 5(2): 175-178. (in Persian)
11. Kidd, A. D., Lamers, J. P. A., Ficarelli, P. P. and Hoffmann, V. 2000. Privatizing Agricultural Extension: Caveat Emptor. J. Rural Stud., 16(1): 95ـ102.
12. Krejcei, R.V. and Morgan, D.W. 1970. Determining Sample Size for Research Activities. Edu. Psychol. Measur., 30: 607-610.
13. Krishnan, V. 2013. Etiquette in Scientific Publishing. Am. Assoc. Orthodont. Dentofacial Orthoped., 144(4): 577-582.
14. Majidi. F., Bijani. M. and Abbasi. E. 2016a. A Pathology Analysis of Scientific Articles Publication in the Field of Agriculture: Application of Three Branches Model. J. Res. Approach. Soc. Sci. (RASS), 2(5): 149-161. (in Persian)
15. Majidi. F., Bijani. M. and Abbasi. E. 2016b. Pathological Inquiry of Scientific Publication Articles in the Agricultural Academic Field of Iran. The Second National Congress of Development and Extension of Agricultural Engineering and Soil Science of Iran, Tehran, Iran. 16th June 2016. (in Persian)
16. Mansourfar, K. 2006. Advanced Statistical Methods: Using Applied Software. University of Tehran Press. (in Persian)
17. McKenna, L. 2016. The Contemporary Landscape of Journal Publishing. Collegian, 23(1): 1-2.‏
18. Ministry of Science, Research and Technology: Deputy of Research. (2014). Research Assistant; National Scientific Journal Commission. Available at: http://journals.msrt.ir. (in Persian).
19. Moradi, H., Bijani, M., Shabanali Fami., Fallah Haghighi, N., Tamadon, A. R. and Moradi, A. R. 2011. Analysis of Effective Components on Professional Development of Agricultural Extension Agents in Kermanshah Province in Iran. Int. J. Food Agric. Environ., 3-4(9): 803-810.
20. Mosavi, S.H. (2016). Energy price reform and food markets: The case of bread supply chain in Iran. Agr. Econ-Blackwell, 47(2): 169-179.
21. Mosavi, S.H., Esmaeili A.K and Azhdari, S. (2014). Evaluating Economic Effects of Exchange Rate Depreciation on the Rice Market in Iran. J. Agr. Sci. Tech., 16(4): 705-715.
22. Najafi Alamdarlo, H. (2016). Spatial and temporal factors affecting agricultural trade in the European :union: (EU) and Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO). J. Agr. Sci. Tech. (JAST), 18(Supplementary Issue): 1721-1733.
23. Namvar, Z. and Kousha, K. 2013. The Delay in Publication of Scientific Articles International Comparative Interdisciplinary Study. J. Iran. Res. Instit. Inform. Sci. Technol., 28(2): 347-362. (in Persian)
24. Ranjbar, A., Kalantari, Kh. and Asadi, A. 2011. Measuring Social Capital among Agricultural Cooperatives Members in Markazi Province. Sci. Res. Quarter. J. Cooper. Agri., 1(4): 1-17. (in Persian).
25. Sabzali-Parikhani, R., Sadighi, H., and Bijani, M. (2018). Ecological Consequences of Nanotechnology in Agriculture: The Researchers’ Perspective. . J. Agr. Sci. Tech. (JAST), 20(2): In press.
26. Sangwal, K. 2013. Citation and Impact Factor Distributions of Scientific Iournals Published in Individual Countries. J. Inform., 7: 487ـ504.
27. Sivakumar, A. 2014. The Fear of Scientific Publishing. Am. J. Orthodont. Dentofacial Orthoped., 2(145): 128ـ129.
28. Zakeripour, G., Rezagholi, F. and Ahmadabadi, M. 2011. Human Resources Pathology of Fateb in Order to Improve Development. Quarter. Towsee-Quarter. Dev. Human Resour. Logistic., 6(22): 7-20. (in Persian).