The Structure of Influence in Library and Information Science Research in Nigeria
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to determine the influence exerted by library and information science departments of Nigerian universities in terms of thesis output. It examined the distribution of masters and doctoral theses in library, archival, and information science from 1972 to 1992 by university, level of degree, geographical area, type of library, and subject. The documentary research method was adopted. Data were gathered from lists of theses in each of the four Nigerian universities that have so far produced master’s and doctoral theses in library and information science. Data were analyzed through the use of percentage, Chi–square statistical, and Bradford–Zipf statistical methods. The findings were that the University of Ibadan accounted for the most theses (73.9 percent), followed by Ahmadu Bello University with 17.3 percent. The University of Ibadan produced theses on more states than any other university, and was also the most productive on all types of libraries except public libraries. Oyo State, Lagos State, and Nigeria were the entities that emerged as core, while library use, information needs, and availability of resources were the core subjects investigated. On the basis of their output, the four universities are ranked, in descending order, as follows: (1) University of Ibadan, (2) Ahmadu Bello University, (3) Abia State University, and (4) Bayero University. This ranking reflects the degree of their influence on library, archival, and information science research in Nigeria.
Introduction
While academic associations are significant to the development of academic disciplines, the academic department of a university is more significant for individuals within a discipline. It is within academic departments that they receive training, which consequently leads to the writing of a thesis which may be a contribution to knowledge.
Sociologists have studied the concept of influence in relation to various social settings, including academic departments of universities. This is in recognition of the fact that sociological communities are not different from other communities.1 Some aspects of the structure of sociology have been examined by Glenn and Villemez2 who studied the most productive departments, Crane3 and Yoels4 who studied the gatekeepers of sociological journals, while Oromaner5 studied the most cited sociologists. Since the formation of Nigerian Association of Library and Information Science Educators In Nigeria, there has been increasing cognisance of the fact that library and information science educators work in academic departments of Nigerian Universities. These academic departments exert influence on the library scene in the country in various ways. One important way is the productivity of the departments in terms of theses output. The theses output represents the intellectual contribution of the products of the departments of scholarship. It also represents the intellectual efforts of the individuals that supervised the theses. Stressing the importance of higher degrees, Jean Whyte6 observed that one reason why universities offer higher degrees in any subject is to advance knowledge in that subject. According to her, “through the study and discipline necessary to complete a piece of research successfully (be it historical or empirical research), the student contributes directly to the total score of knowledge, and he also learns to write and to investigate. He may decide to spend the rest of his life working on his subject, but even if he does not, he should be able to understand and interpret the research of others and he should appreciate its importance.” Another recognition of the importance of library research was the American Library Association (ALA) policy paper on “Library Education and Manpower”7 which stated,
Research has an important role to play in the educational process as a source of new knowledge both for the field of librarianship in general and for library education in particular. In its planning, budgeting, and organization design, the library school should recognise research, both theoretical and applied, and an imperative responsibility.
A search of the literature revealed that there are no studies on the influence of academic departments in the field of library and information science in Nigeria. The purpose of the present study is to investigate such influence. “Influence” is used in this paper to refer to the theses produced by an academic department.
A thesis should be an original work that addresses a problem and sometimes offers a solution to that problem. It should be a contribution to the body of knowledge in a subject. It may be read and cited for purposes of teaching, learning, and research. It should represent a university’s contribution to the advancement of knowledge. The more theses a university has produced, the more influence it may have on the advancement of knowledge. Influence is conceptualized as a centre. Those who occupy the centre are presumably the influential ones, who advance knowledge by addressing problems through research. Those outside the centre have no influence on people in the subject area. A university occupies the centre if it produces a thesis. The more theses a university produces, the more it is represented at the centre, and the greater influence it has in the subject field. The number of theses produced ultimately determines the amount of influence exerted by an institution on the subject. Three dimensions of influence are conceptualized. First, a thesis may be read by others and the ideas expressed in it accepted. Second, a thesis may be read by others, but the ideas expressed in it rejected because of poor research design, wrong choice of statistical method, or wrong interpretation of findings. Third, a thesis may be read by others and the ideas in it modified to advance knowledge. These dimensions are based on the three–step sequence proposed by Hollander and Willis.8
The questions addressed by this study are as follows:
- What is the annual distribution of postgraduate theses in library and information science on Nigeria from 1972 to 1992?
- What is the distribution of postgraduate theses in library and information science on Nigeria from 1972 to 1992, by university?
- What is the distribution of postgraduate theses in library and information science on Nigeria from 1972 to 1992, by level of degree sought?
- What is the distribution of postgraduate theses in library and information science from 1972 to 1992, by geographical area?
- What is the distribution of postgraduate theses in library and information science from 1972 to 1992, by type of library?
- What is the subject distribution of postgraduate theses in library and information science from 1972 to 1992?
The following hypotheses were based on a close examination of the data collected:
- The number of postgraduate theses produced in the first half of the period studied is significantly different from that of the second half.
- The number of geographical areas in which the University of Ibadan was the most productive is significantly different from that of Ahmadu Bello University.
- The number of subjects in which the University of Ibadan was the most productive is significantly different from that of Ahmadu Bello University.
Methodology
This study covered all of the postgraduate theses submitted for degree awards in Nigerian universities from 1972 to 1992. The categories of theses were those for Master of Library Science, Master of Philosophy, and Doctor of Philosophy. The documentary research method was adopted for the conduct of the study. Data were gathered from lists of theses and in some instances from the theses themselves. Data were analyzed through the use of percentages by individual university, level of degree sought, geographical area, and subject. The Bradford–Zipf bibliograph was used to determine core geographical areas and subjects researched, while the Chi Square statistical method was used to test the three hypotheses formulated to guide the study.
Findings
The findings in this study are reported in Tables 1 to 6.
Research question 1: What is the annual distribution of postgraduate theses in library and information science on Nigeria from 1972 to 1992?
Table 1
Annual Distribution of Postgraduate Theses in Library and Information Science on Nigeria,
1972–1992
| Year | Univ. of Ibadan | Ahmadu Bello Univ. | Abia State Univ. | Bayero Univ. | Total | |||
| MLS | M. Phil. | Ph.D | MLS | Ph.D | MLS | MLS | ||
| 1972 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1973 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1974 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1975 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1976 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 1978 | 25 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 |
| 1979 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 |
| 1980 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| 1981 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 |
| 1982 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 |
| 1983 | 43 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53 |
| 1984 | 31 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 |
| 1985 | 40 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 |
| 1986 | 34 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 |
| 1987 | 50 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59 |
| 1988 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 1989 | 53 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 69 |
| 1990 | 42 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49 |
| 1991 | 52 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 88 |
| 1992 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 51 |
| Total | 504 | 11 | 13 | 112 | 3 | 17 | 6 | 666 |
Table 1 presents the distribution of theses analysed by year. The first master’s thesis was produced by Ahmadu Bello University’s Department of Library Science. A bibliography on geology in Nigeria was the only bibliography in the list of theses analysed for this study. Ahmadu Bello University has ceased accepting bibliographies for a master’s thesis. From 1973 to 1976 there were no master’s theses, as Ahmadu Bello University was not prepared to effectively mount the programme. It wanted to consolidate the undergraduate Bachelor of Library Science, as well as improve the staffing situation. However, in 1973, the first doctorate was awarded in library science at the University of Ibadan for a study of the bibliometric and documentation characteristics of geographical literature in Nigeria. It was followed in 1975 by another doctorate awarded for a thesis on copyright. The first set of master’s theses at the University of Ibadan was produced in 1977. This year also coincided with the return of the Ahmadu Bello University’s Master of Library Science programme, which produced eight theses. Since 1977, the number of postgraduate theses has been increasing. For instance, the second half of the period (1983 to 1992) accounted for 505 theses (or 75.8 percent), as compared with 161 (or 24.2 percent) produced in the first half (1972 to 1982). Abia State University produced its first theses in 1991, and Bayero University’s first were in 1992.
Research question 2: What is the distribution of postgraduate theses in library and information science on Nigeria from 1972 to 1992, by university?
Table 2
Distribution of Postgraduate Theses In Library and Information Science On Nigeria,
1972–1992, by University
| University | Number | Percentage |
| University of Ibadan | 528 | 79.3 |
| Ahmadu Bello University | 115 | 17.3 |
| Abia State University | 17 | 2.5 |
| Bayero University | 6 | 0.9 |
| Total | 666 | 100.0 |
Table 2 reveals the University of Ibadan as the most productive university, accounting for 73 percent of the total output. Its Department of Library, Archival, and Information Studies is the most influential academic department (in terms of thesis production) in the field of Nigeria.
Research question 3: What is the distribution of postgraduate theses in library and information science on Nigeria, 1972 to 1992, by level of degree sought?
Table 3
Distribution of Postgraduate Theses in Library and Information Science on Nigeria,
1972–1992, by Level of Degree Sought
| University | Level of Degree Sought | |||||
| Ph.D | M. Phil. | MLS | ||||
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| University of Ibadan | 13 | 81.2 | 11 | 100 | 504 | 73.4 |
| Ahmadu Bello University | 3 | 18.8 | 0 | 0 | 159 | 23.2 |
| Abia State University | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 2.5 |
| Bayero University | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0.9 |
| Total | 16 | 100 | 1 | 100 | 686 | 100 |
Table 3 reveals that on both the master’s and doctoral levels, the University of Ibadan was the most productive. These findings suggest that it was the most influential.
Research question 4: What is the distribution of postgraduate theses in library and information science on Nigeria from 1972 to 1992, by geographic area?
Table 4
Distribution of Postgraduate Theses in Library and Information Science on Nigeria,
1972-1992, by Geographic Area
| Geographic Area | Universities | ||||||||
| University of Ibadan | Ahmadu Bello University | Abia State University | Bayero University | Total No. | |||||
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | ||
| 1. Oyo State | 204 | 98.6 | 3 | 1.4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 207 |
| 2. Lagos State | 69 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 69 |
| 3. Nigeria | 25 | 44.6 | 26 | 46.4 | 2 | 3.6 | 3 | 5.4 | 56 |
| 4. Kaduna State | 3 | 7.0 | 39 | 90.7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2.3 | 43 |
| 5. Edo State | 30 | 93.8 | 2 | 6.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 |
| 6. Ondo State | 26 | 92.9 | 2 | 7.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| 7. Imo State | 22 | 84.6 | 1 | 3.8 | 3 | 11.5 | 0 | 0 | 26 |
| 8. Kwara State | 18 | 90.0 | 2 | 10.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 9. Enuga State | 12 | 92.3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7.7 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| 10. Kano State | 2 | 15.4 | 10 | 76.9 | 0 | 0.1 | 1 | 7.7 | 13 |
| 11. Borno State | 5 | 41.7 | 6 | 50.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8.3 | 12 |
| 12. Cross River State | 11 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| 13. Osun State | 10 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 14. Delta State | 8 | 88.9 | 1 | 11.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 15. Ogun State | 9 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 16. Abia State | 5 | 62.5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 37.5 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 17. Niger State | 5 | 71.4 | 2 | 28.76 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 18. Plateau State | 4 | 57.1 | 3 | 42.9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 19. Rivers State | 6 | 85.7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14.3 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 20. Anambra State | 6 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 21. Benue State | 3 | 50.0 | 3 | 50.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 22. Sokoto State | 1 | 16.7 | 5 | 83.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 23. Adamawa State | 2 | 40.0 | 3 | 60.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 24. Jigawa State | 0 | 0 | 3 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 25. Kogi State | 1 | 33.3 | 2 | 66.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 26. Abuja | 2 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 27. Bauchi State | 0 | 0 | 2 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 28. Cameroun | 2 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 29. Katsina State | 0 | 0 | 2 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 30. Africa | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 31. Akwa Ibom State | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 32. Ghana | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 33. Taraba State | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 34. Kebbi State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35. Yobe State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Table 4 shows that the University of Ibadan was the most productive in twenty–one areas. Ahmadu Bello University was the most productive in ten. Abia State University and Bayero University, Kano were not the most productive in any geographical area. When the Bradford–Zipf bibliograph was drawn, based on the total data for each geographical area, three geographical areas were determined as core. These are Oyo State, Lagos State, and Nigeria.
 |
| Figure 1: Logarithm of Cumulation of Geographical Areas |
In a study of the MLS and Ph.D. theses produced at the University of Ibadan, Nweke (1985) found that Oyo State, which is the state in which the University was located, accounted for 58 (or 42.65 percent) of all theses produced. Afolabi and Mohammed (1984), in a study of the undergraduate projects produced in the Department of Library Science, Ahmadu Bello University, found that Kaduna State, where the library school is located, was the subject of 155 (or 38.08 percent) out of a total 371 projects. The findings of this study show that Oyo State was not only the most frequently researched state at the University of Ibadan, but in the total output by all the universities. Kaduna State was the most frequently researched state at Ahmadu Bello University. These findings corroborate those of Nweke and Afolabi. One reason why students research their immediate geographical environment is finance. Many of them finance themselves in the programmes. They wish to avoid high travel expenses, and do not want to travel to distant places to collect data. Another reason is that they can meet the requirements for graduation on time.
Table 5
Distribution of Postgraduate Theses in Library and Information Science in Nigeria,
1972–1992, by Geographical Areas
| I No. of Theses per Geo. Area | II No. of Geographic Areas | III I x II | IV Cumulation of Theses | V Cumulation of Geo. Areas | VI Logarithm of Column V |
| 207 | 1 | 207 | 207 | 1 | 0 |
| 69 | 1 | 69 | 276 | 2 | 0.3010 |
| 56 | 1 | 56 | 332 | 3 | 0.4771 |
| 43 | 1 | 43 | 375 | 4 | 0.6021 |
| 32 | 1 | 32 | 407 | 5 | 0.6990 |
| 28 | 1 | 28 | 435 | 6 | 0.7782 |
| 26 | 1 | 26 | 461 | 7 | 0.8451 |
| 20 | 1 | 20 | 481 | 8 | 0.9031 |
| 13 | 2 | 26 | 507 | 10 | 1.0000 |
| 12 | 1 | 12 | 519 | 11 | 1.0414 |
| 11 | 1 | 11 | 530 | 12 | 1.0792 |
| 10 | 1 | 10 | 540 | 13 | 1.1139 |
| 9 | 2 | 18 | 558 | 15 | 1.1761 |
| 8 | 1 | 8 | 566 | 16 | 1.2041 |
| 7 | 3 | 21 | 587 | 19 | 1.2788 |
| 6 | 3 | 18 | 605 | 22 | 1.3424 |
| 5 | 1 | 5 | 610 | 23 | 1.3617 |
| 3 | 2 | 6 | 616 | 25 | 1.3979 |
| 2 | 4 | 8 | 624 | 29 | 1.4624 |
| 1 | 4 | 4 | 628 | 33 | 1.5185 |
| 0 | 2 | 0 | 628 | 35 | 1.5441 |
Figure 1 represents the Bradford–Zipf bibliograph drawn from the data provided in Table 5, using the total data for each geographic area. It was found that these three geographical areas emerged as core areas researched: Oyo State, which accounted for 207 (or 33 percent); Lagos State, with 69 (or 11 percent); and Nigeria, with 56 (or 9 percent). It is pertinent to observe that Oyo and Lagos are the two Nigerian states with the highest concentration of libraries of all kinds––four university libraries, one national library, and several special, college, and school libraries. The value of scattering(s) represented by the point where the dotted line meets the horizontal line is 3, indicating an extremely low scattering of theses. Thesis output is concentrated on thirty–five limited geographic areas. Some 89 percent of the theses focused on Nigeria as a whole and or on its constituent states. Africa, Ghana, and Cameroun were the three other geographical areas researched.
There is high concentration of theses on Nigeria because most of the students are Nigerians who researched a Nigerian–based topic as their contribution towards solving national problems. Additionally, students are often encouraged by their teachers to research Nigeria–based topics. There is also the problem of finance. A student who plans to compare library practices in two or more African countries may be handicapped by a lack of funds to travel to those countries to collect data. Those whose studies are funded are instructed by their sponsors to do research on problems relevant to Nigeria.
Research question 6: What is the distribution of postgraduate theses in library and information science on Nigeria from 1972–1992, by type of library?
Table 6
Distribution of Postgraduate Theses in Library and Information Science on Nigeria,
1972–1992, by Type of Library
| Library Type | Frequency | ||||||||
| University of Ibadan | Ahmadu Bello University | Abia State University | Bayero University | Total No. | |||||
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | ||
| 1. University Libraries | 130 | 87.8 | 15 | 10.1 | 2 | 1.4 | 1 | 0.7 | 148 |
| 2. Special Libraries | 126 | 96.2 | 5 | 3.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 141 |
| 3. Public Libraries | 75 | 90.4 | 7 | 8.4 | 1 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 | 83 |
| 4. School Libraries | 29 | 80.6 | 4 | 11.1 | 3 | 8.3 | 0 | 0 | 36 |
| 5. College Libraries | 28 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| 6. Polytechnic Libraries | 25 | 89.3 | 3 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| 7. Records Centres | 16 | 94.1 | 1 | 5.9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| 8. Archives | 13 | 81.3 | 3 | 18.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 9. National Library | 11 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| 10. Private Library | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
It is clear from Table 6 that that the University of Ibadan was the most productive institution in all types of libraries, except private. This shows the influential role of its Department of Library, Archival, and Information Studies. University libraries emerged as the most researched type of library, in contrast to Nweke’s (1985, 45) list where public libraries were on top, followed by university libraries. The result of this study is not surprising, because university libraries are the most developed in Nigeria, in terms of having librarians with relevant library science qualifications, varieties of library and information services, and large collections that are regularly developed. In addition, most of the modern practices and innovations in library and information science, such as the use of technology in information handling, are commonly found in university and special libraries.
Research question 7: What is the subject distribution of postgraduate theses in library and information science on Nigeria, from 1972 to 1992?
Table 7
Distribution of Postgraduate Theses in Library and Information Science on Nigeria,
1972–1992, by Subject
| Subject | Universities | ||||||||
| University of Ibadan | Ahmadu Bello University | Abia State University | Bayero University | Total No. | |||||
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | ||
| 1. Library Use | 128 | 94.8 | 6 | 4.4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.7 | 135 |
| 2. Information Needs | 71 | 89.9 | 6 | 7.6 | 2 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 79 |
| 3. Resource Availability | 45 | 84.9 | 7 | 13.2 | 1 | 1.9 | 0 | 0 | 53 |
| 4. Information Services | 40 | 81.6 | 7 | 14.3 | 2 | 4.1 | 0 | 0 | 49 |
| 5. Collection Development | 45 | 93.7 | 3 | 6.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 |
| 6. Bibliometrics | 25 | 75.8 | 8 | 24.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 |
| 7. Records Management | 26 | 92.9 | 2 | 7.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| 8. Archives | 15 | 83.3 | 3 | 16.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 9. Library Development | 7 | 38.9 | 9 | 50.0 | 2 | 11.1 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 10. Reading Habits | 14 | 93.3 | 1 | 6.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 11. Publishing | 10 | 66.7 | 3 | 20.0 | 2 | 13.3 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 12. Classification | 11 | 78.6 | 3 | 21.4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| 13. Conservation | 13 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| 14. Reference Services | 11 | 91.7 | 1 | 8.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| 15. Information Management | 11 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| 16. Personnel Management | 10 | 90.9 | 1 | 9.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| 17. Library Automation | 8 | 80.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10.0 | 1 | 10.0 | 10 |
| 18. Cataloguing | 8 | 88.9 | 1 | 11.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 19. Circulation System | 7 | 87.5 | 1 | 12.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 20. Library Education | 5 | 62.5 | 2 | 25.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12.5 | 8 |
| 21. Mutilation | 7 | 87.5 | 1 | 12.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 22. Preservation | 6 | 62.5 | 2 | 25.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 23. Government Documents | 4 | 57.1 | 3 | 42.9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 24. Library Effectiveness | 5 | 83.3 | 1 | 16.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 25. Storage | 6 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 26. Theft | 5 | 83.3 | 1 | 16.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 27. Finance | 3 | 60.0 | 2 | 40.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 28. Information Transfer | 4 | 80.0 | 1 | 20.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 29. Job Satisfaction | 3 | 60.0 | 1 | 20.0 | 1 | 20.0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 30. Library Instruction | 3 | 60.0 | 2 | 40.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 31. Abstracting & Indexing | 0 | 0 | 4 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 32. Children’s Services | 3 | 75.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 25.0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 33. Interlibrary Cooperation | 4 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 34. Library Management | 3 | 75.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 25.0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 35. Communication | 2 | 66.7 | 1 | 33.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 36. Gifts and Exchange | 2 | 66.7 | 1 | 33.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 37. Library Evaluation | 3 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 38. Manuscripts Collection | 0 | 0 | 3 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 39. Subject Headings | 2 | 66.7 | 1 | 33.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 40. Access to Information | 2 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 41. Authorship Survey | 2 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 42. Content Analysis | 2 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 43. Copyright Protection/Violation | 2 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 44. Librarians’ Publishing Output | 1 | 50.0 | 1 | 50.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 45. Library Staff Training | 2 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 46. Mobile Library Service | 2 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 47. Administrators’ Attitudes | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 48. Bibliographic Control | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 49. Bibliography | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 50. Book Binderies | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 51. Book Deposits | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 52. Branch Library Planning | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 53. Budget | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 54. Career Choice | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 55. Continuing Education | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 56. Document Reproduction | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 57. Grey Literature | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 58. Information Retrieval | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 59. Information Science | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 60. Information Technology | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 61. Legal Deposit | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 62. Libraries/ Publishers Relationship | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 63. Library Building | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 64. Library Experience | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 65. Library Location | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 66. Library Objectives | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 67. Library Role | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 68. Library Staff Relationship | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 69. Main and Branch Library Relationship | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 70. Mass Literacy | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 71. Motivation | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 72. Public Relations | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 73. Publicity Methods | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 74. Reading | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 75. Reading Ability | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 76. Search Strategy | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 77. Staff Productivity | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 78. Technical Services | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 79. Thesaurus | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 80. Users Attitudes | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 81. Users Characteristics | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
 |
| Figure 2: Logarithm of Cumulation of Subjects |
The distribution of theses by subject is presented in Table 8. It reveals that the University of Ibadan was the most productive in sixty–three (or 78.7 percent) subjects listed in the table. These subjects are represented in the table by their serial numbers (1–81) from Table 7.
Table 8
Subject Distribution of Postgraduate Theses in Library and Information Science in Nigeria,
1972–1992
| I No. of Theses | II No. of Subjects | III Cumulation of Subjects | IV I x II | V Cumulation of Theses | VI Logarithm of Column III |
| 135 | 1 | 1 | 135 | 135 | 0 |
| 79 | 1 | 2 | 79 | 214 | 0.3010 |
| 53 | 1 | 3 | 53 | 267 | 0.4771 |
| 49 | 1 | 4 | 49 | 316 | 0.6021 |
| 48 | 1 | 5 | 48 | 364 | 0.6990 |
| 33 | 1 | 6 | 33 | 397 | 0.7782 |
| 28 | 1 | 7 | 28 | 425 | 0.8451 |
| 18 | 2 | 9 | 36 | 461 | 0.9542 |
| 15 | 2 | 11 | 30 | 491 | 1.0414 |
| 14 | 1 | 12 | 14 | 505 | 1.0792 |
| 13 | 1 | 13 | 13 | 518 | 1.1139 |
| 12 | 1 | 14 | 12 | 530 | 1.1461 |
| 11 | 2 | 16 | 22 | 552 | 1.2041 |
| 10 | 1 | 17 | 10 | 562 | 1.2304 |
| 9 | 1 | 18 | 9 | 571 | 1.2553 |
| 8 | 4 | 22 | 32 | 603 | 1.3424 |
| 7 | 1 | 23 | 7 | 610 | 1.3617 |
| 6 | 3 | 26 | 18 | 628 | 1.4150 |
| 5 | 4 | 30 | 20 | 648 | 1.4771 |
| 4 | 4 | 34 | 16 | 664 | 1.5315 |
| 3 | 5 | 39 | 15 | 679 | 1.5911 |
| 2 | 7 | 46 | 14 | 693 | 1.6628 |
| 1 | 35 | 81 | 35 | 728 | 1.9085 |
Ahmadu Bello University’s department was the most productive in twelve (or 15 percent) subjects. Abia State was the most productive in one subject––budget. Bayero University wasn’t the most productive in any subject. The findings of this study also confirm the leading and influential role of the University of Ibadan in most subject areas in library, archival, and information science. When the Bradford–Ziph bibliograph was drawn, based on the total data for each subject, three subjects were determined as core. These are library use, information needs, and resources availability. Two of these subjects also appeared on the top three subjects in Nweke’s (1985, 47) list of frequency of occurrence of the subject areas investigated in the MLS/higher degree dissertations/thesis titles in library science in the University of Ibadan from 1973 to 1982. The value of scattering(s) represented by the point where the dotted line meets the horizontal line is 1, which indicates low scattering of theses among specific subjects. Theses are concentrated on eighty–one subjects.
Testing Hypotheses
Research hypothesis 1: The number of postgraduate theses produced in the first half of the period studied is significantly different from that in the second half.
Table 9
Testing Hypothesis 1
| Period | Number of Theses | Level of Significance | Degree of Freedom | Chi–Square Value | Remark |
| First Half (1972–1982) | 161 | 0.05 | 1 | Critical=3.841 | Significant, Research Hypothesis |
| Second Half (1983–1992) | 505 | Calculated=177.6 | Accepted |
The testing of the hypothesis using the information in Table 9 revealed that at a 5 percent level of significance and a degree of freedom of 1, the calculated value of 177.6 is greater than the Chi–Square table value of 3.841. The research hypothesis is therefore accepted. The increase in the number of theses may be attributed to increased enrollment in the MLS programmes and to more qualified lecturers to teach and supervise theses.
Research hypothesis 2: The number of geographic areas in which the University of Ibadan was the most productive is significantly different from that of Ahmadu Bello University.
Table 10
Testing Hypothesis 2
| Institution | Number of Theses | Level of Significance | Degree of Freedom | Chi–Square Value | Remark |
| University of Ibadan | 21 | 0.05 | 1 | Critical=3.841 | Significant, Research Hypothesis |
| Ahmadu Bello University | 10 | Calculated=3.9 | Accepted |
The testing of the hypothesis revealed that at a 5 percent level of significance, with a degree of freedom of 1, the calculated value of 3.9 is greater than the Chi–Square table value of 3.841. The research hypothesis is therefore accepted. It can be inferred that the University of Ibadan’s geographic areas of influence significantly outnumber those of Ahmadu Bello University. Its area of influence was not limited to the fourteen states in the south of the country, but extended to some northern states and even its federal capital territory. Its reputation as Nigeria’s premier university, its rich library collections, and its highly qualified teaching staff are some of the important factors accounting for the influence of the University of Ibadan on library education and research in Nigeria. Additionally, the duration of the Ibadan MLS used to be one year. This attracted many students to the programme.
Research hypothesis 3: The number of subjects in which the University of Ibadan was not the most productive is significantly different from that of Ahmadu Bello University.
Table 11
Testing Hypothesis 3
| Institution | Number of Theses | Level of Significance | Degree of Freedom | Chi–Square Value | Remark |
| University of Ibadan | 63 | 0.05 | 1 | Critical=3.841 | Significant, Research Hypothesis |
| Ahmadu Bello University | 12 | Calculated=34.68 | Accepted |
The testing of the hypothesis revealed that at a 5 percent level of significance, with a degree of freedom of 1, the calculated value of 34.68 is greater than the Chi–Square table value of 3.841. The research hypothesis is therefore accepted. The number of subjects in which the University of Ibadan was the most productive is significantly greater than that of Ahmadu Bello University. In other words, the former was influential in more subjects than the latter. Potential researchers in the library schools would have to consult theses at Ibadan University in the course of writing a review of literature. Similarly, librarians would also depend on the library schools, particularly the University of Ibadan and Ahmadu Bello University, for previous research literature on the subjects listed in this study.
Summary and Conclusions
This study examined the influence of academic departments of Nigerian universities offering postgraduate programmes in library and information science by looking at their production of theses. The University of Ibadan accounted for the most theses (79.3 percent), followed by Ahmadu Bello University with 17.3 percent. The University of Ibadan produced the highest number of master’s theses (73.4 percent) and doctoral theses (81.2 percent), followed by Ahmadu Bello University with 23.2 percent for master’s and 18.8 percent for doctoral theses. Moreover, the University of Ibadan produced theses on more states than any other university, and was the most productive on all types of libraries except private libraries. The three research hypotheses were confirmed by the study:
- (1) the number of postgraduate theses produced in the first half of the period studied is significantly different from that of the second period,
- (2) the number of geographic areas on which the University of Ibadan produced the highest number of theses is significantly different from that of Ahmadu Bello University, and
- (3) the number of subjects on which the University of Ibadan produced the highest number of theses is significantly different from that of Ahmadu Bello University.
Based on the findings of the study summarised above, it can be concluded that in terms of thesis output at the postgraduate level in Nigeria, the four universities studied are ranked as follows:
| Rank | University |
| 1 | University of Ibadan |
| 2 | Ahmadu Bello University |
| 3 | Abia State University |
| 4 | Bayero University |
The above ranking also reflects the degree of their influence on library, archival, and information science research in Nigeria. There is no doubt that research in library and information science in Nigeria, in the form of theses, is increasing. However, the quality of many of these theses need a lot of improvement.
Recommendations
Based on the findings obtained in this study, a number of recommendations suggest themselves.
First, more theses should be written at Ahmadu Bello University (particularly at the Ph.D, level), Abia State University, and Bayero University, Kano.
Second, research has not been conducted on such states as Kebbi and Yobe. An effort should be made to conduct studies on such states, to shed light on their library situations. States such as Oyo and Kaduna, which have been over–researched, should be de–emphasized in future studies.
Third, the information in Table 5 on subject distribution will be a useful guide to potential master’s or doctoral candidates who are searching for problem areas.
Fourth, research centres for library and information science should be established in all departments of library and information science in Nigerian universities.
Fifth, research and systems offices should be established by Nigerian university libraries.
Sixth, a National Commission of Libraries and Information Science should be established and one of its responsibilities, as in the United States of America, should be the promotion of research and development to extend and improve the nation’s library and information handling capability.
Seventh, an office of research in Nigerian Library Association headquarters should be established, staffed, and charged to encourage and improve research efforts in the library profession and to recommend general programme, policy, and priority matters pertaining to research.
Eighth, theses produced should be published in professional journals by their authors or in collaboration with their supervisors.
There should be a statistician on the teaching staff of each department of library and information science in the country to instruct and encourage students on the use of statistical methods in order to enhance the quality of research, especially in testing hypotheses.
References
1. Oromaner, M. J. “The Most Cited Sociologists: An Analysis of Introductory Text Citations,” American Sociologist 3 (May 1968): 124–26.
3. Glenn, N. D. and W. Villemez, “The Productivity of Sociologists At 45 American Universities,” American Sociologist 5 (August 1970): 244–52.
2. Crane, D. “The Gate Keepers of Science: Some Factors Affecting the Selection of Articles for Scientific Journals,” American Sociologist 2(1967).
4. Yoels, W. C. “Destiny or Dynasty: Doctoral Origins and Appointment Patterns of Editors of the American Sociological Review, 1944–1968,” American Sociologist 6 (May 1976): 134–39.
5. Oromaner, “The Most Cited Sociologists.”
6. Whyte, J. “Higher Degrees In Librarianship,” The Australian Library Journal (March 1978): 39–42.
7. American Library Association, Library Education and Manpower (1970).
8. Hollander, E. P. and R. H. Willis, “Some Current Issues In the Psychology of Conformity and Nonconformity,” Psychological Bulletin 68 (1967): 62–76.
9. Nweke, K. N. C. “An Analytical Study of Ibadan Library School Higher Degrees Dissertations/Theses Titles, 1973–1982,” Nigerian Libraries 21–2 (1985): 39–49.
10. Afolabi, M. and Z. Mohammed, “Subject and Geographical Analysis of Final Year Undergraduate Library Science Projects,” The Library Scientist 11 (1984): 32–44.
About the author
M. Afolabi is on the faculty of the Department of Library and Information Science, Faculty of Education, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria