Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs): A Scientometric Analysis of Research Publications

Abstract

This research paper presents a comprehensive scientometric analysis of research papers published on Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) using the ‘Scopus’ database for the period spanning 1996 to 2023 (July) 2023. By analysing bibliographic characteristics and employing scientometric methodologies, this study presents trends and patterns in the ETD landscape. Utilizing a range of visualization tools, including the R programming language, RStudio, the Bibliometrix package, and other visualization resources, the research assesses the growth and impact of ETD publications. The dataset comprises 358 publications originating from 163 distinct sources, revealing a notable 5.27% annual growth rate and an average of 6.095 citations per document. Beyond these quantitative findings, the study explores coupling relationships, citation analysis, co-occurrence patterns, authorship dynamics, and levels of collaboration within the ETD domain. The insights from this study contribute to a deeper understanding of the evolving landscape of research on ETDs and shed light on the broader implications of scholarly communication in the digital age.