Exploring Information Habits in Urban and Demographic Studies

Ever wondered how researchers in urban and demographic studies consume information? One way to find out is by looking at what they cite in their work. A recent study did just that, focusing on articles published in the journal "Estudios Demográficos y Urbanos" from 1998 to 2007. These articles were mostly written by experts in demography, urban studies, and environmental sciences. The study analyzed 6, 559 citations from 162 articles. So, what did they find? Books were the most cited sources, making up 34. 7% of all citations. Mexico led the way in published documents, with 38. 92% of citations coming from there. The journal itself was the most cited, showing a strong internal referencing. Spanish and English were the top languages, with 51. 55% and 43. 33% of citations respectively.

Only 26. 73% of the cited references were published in the five years before they were cited. This could be due to a lack of new literature, difficulty accessing up-to-date information, or simply because the authors were citing older, more established works. The findings suggest some changes in library collection policies. For instance, focusing more on recent publications and diversifying language options could be beneficial. It also highlights the need to strengthen collections from institutions like INEGI and CONAPO.

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