Scholars’ research-related personal information collections: A study of education and healthudresearchers in a Kuwaiti University

摘要

PurposeudThe aim of the paper is to explore the character of scholars’ research-related personal informationudcollections (PICs).ududDesign/methodology/approachudThe study was based on in-depth interviews and office tours of 17 scholars in Education and HealthudSciences in a Kuwaiti Higher Education Institution.ududFindingsudScholars’ research-related PICs were added to throughout the research life-cycle. They were huge,uddiverse, hybrid and fragmented. Key factors shaping the collections were the pressure to doudresearch, time pressure in general, quality of space available, technology opportunity, lack ofudsupport from central services, the need to collect Arabic material, self-presentation and selfmanagement.udOlder scholars and non-Kuwaiti nationals experienced the pressures slightlyuddifferently.ududResearch limitations/implicationsudThe study was limited to scholars in two disciplines, in one institution in a developing world context.udHowever the models produced are suggestive of factors involved in shaping of the research-relatedudPICs of scholars in general.ududPractical implicationsudFailures in Personal Information Management are a cause for concern in terms of data integrity andudvalidity of research. Interventions could include training of early career researchers for a life time ofudcollecting.ududOriginality/valueudThis is the first study to examine the contents of scholars’ research-related PICs and to provide audmodel of factors shaping them.