How researchers use ejournals

This second phase of the Research Information Network's research was designed to probe the findings of the first stage.  The report, free to download from RIN's website concludes that:

• Searching via 'gateway' sites such as Google Scholar or PubMed is favoured because it is generally straightforward and relatively easy to narrow down results.
• Researchers engage in 'power browsing', viewing content strategically rather than reading the document in a linear fashion.
• The number of articles published worldwide in all of the report's six chosen subjects rose
• Life scientists are most likely to use ejournals on most or every working day; historians least likely
• Highly rated, research intensive institutions have a markedly higher use of ejournals
• Nearly 25% of journal use by university researchers in the UK takes place outside of traditional working hours
• Library spending on ejournals has increased while there has been a decline on spending on print journals

 Download the full report here.