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RESEARCH_AND_RELATED_CAPACITY_STRENGTHENING

A Qualitative Study on Visibility of African Journals

Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Mozambique, 2024
Research and Related Capacity Strengthening (RRCS)
Marta Vicente-Crespo
Last modified November 17, 2025 Page views 42 Documentation in PDF Metadata DDI/XML JSON

Identification

IDNO
DDI-KEN-NGR-ETH-MOZ-APHRC-VAJ-2024-V1.0
Title
A Qualitative Study on Visibility of African Journals
Country
Name Country code
Kenya KEN
Nigeria NGA
Ethiopia ETH
Mozambique MOZ
Abstract
Background
Journals are the primary medium for scholarly communication among academic communities. Journal visibility helps researchers to make decisions on where to publish. Some of the visibility platforms include Google Scholar (GS) platform, Scopus platform, Open Access (OA) system, Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) platform, International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) platform, International Network for Advancing Science and Policy (INASP) platform, Web of Science (WoS) and PubMed platform. There is limited visibility of African journals which can be attributed to a number of underlying factors that affect the journal editorial practices. The factors include a lack of awareness among researchers, challenges related to access and dissemination, financial constraints, and limited access to digital platforms and technological infrastructure.

Methodology
This study employed a cross-sectional study design and the data was collected qualitatively. In-depth interviews (IDIs), Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were conducted in Kenya. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted conducted in Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Mozambique . The study population comprised the journal chief editors, representatives from African-wide journal databases/indexers, institutional repository representatives, and researchers. A purposive sampling technique was utilized in identifying the study participants. Ethical approvals were sought from relevant bodies in the countries. The qualitative data from the audio-recorded interviews was transcribed using MS Word and exported to NVivo software for analysis. The analysis was based on pre-defined themes as well as the use of open inductive content analysis.

Version

Version Date
2025-09-12
Version Notes
N/A

Scope

Topic Classification
Topic
Journals indexing
Journals discoverability
Journals indexing
Keywords
Keyword
Africa journals
Journal discoverability
Editorial practices

Coverage

Geographic Coverage
Kenya
Ethiopia
Nigeria
Mozambique
Unit of Analysis
African universities
African research institutions
Journal indexers
Universe
African journal editors, African-wide journal databases/indexers, institutional repositories, journal chief editors, and researchers/authors/potential publishers, institutional heads of research

Producers and sponsors

Authoring entity/Primary investigators
Agency Name Affiliation
Marta Vicente-Crespo African Population and Health Research Center, APHRC
Producers
Name Affiliation Role
Julius Sindi African Population and Health Research Center, APHRC Co-Investigator
Emmy Igonya African Population and Health Research Center, APHRC Co-Investigator
Leah Mwangi African Population and Health Research Center, APHRC Project manager
Patrick Amboka African Population and Health Research Center, APHRC Research Officer
Funding Agency/Sponsor
Name Abbreviation Role
The Gates Foundation GF Funder
Other Identifications/Acknowledgments
Name Affiliation Role
Patrick Amboka African Population and Health Research Center, APHRC Data Documentation Specialist
Bonface Ingumba African Population and Health Research Center, APHRC Data Governance Officer

Sampling

Sampling Procedure
The study utilized a purposive sampling technique and targeted African journal editors, African-wide journal databases/indexers, institutional repositories, journal chief editors, and researchers/authors/potential publishers, institutional heads of research. Purposive sampling was utilized to ensure equal representation of the study participants based on the thematic areas (Humanities, social sciences, health sciences, etc). This ensured the generalisability of the research findings across all thematic areas. An initial search done on Kenyan journals found 120 journals hosted by universities and research institutions. This total number will generate enough sample size for our study. The assumption was that, the same number of journals will be hosted by institutions in Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Mozambique.
Purposive sampling was used to recruit 30 journal editors for the study. Twenty representatives from institutional repositories were included in the study. Thirty authors/researchers were also selected purposively, and ten institutional heads of research. Two representatives from African-wide databases/indexers were also included in the study.
Deviations from the Sample Design
None
Response Rate
100%
Weighting
N/A

Data Collection

Dates of Data Collection (YYYY/MM/DD)
Start date End date
2024-06-18 2024-11-24
Mode of data collection
Other [oth]
Supervision
Data was collected by 12 Research Assistants who were supervised by a Research Officer incharge of data qualitative data collection. During the FGDs, IDIs and KIIs, the Research officer conducted sit inn interviews and debriefings after every session.
Type of Research Instrument
In-depth interviews (IDIs), Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were conducted in Kenya. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted conducted in Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Mozambique . The study population comprised the journal chief editors, representatives from African-wide journal databases/indexers, institutional repository representatives, and researchers.

Data Processing

Cleaning Operations
Qualitataive data was colected using recorders which were confirmed to be in good working condition. The recordings were then downloaded from the recorders and uploaded in an official and secure google document on a daily basis. The recordings on the recorders were also deleted on a daily basis to ensure data privacy, security and protection
Other Processing
The recordings were transcribed by well trained transcribers and then shared on a secure folder for storage awaiting data analysis

Data Appraisal

Estimates of Sampling Error
N/A

Data access

Contact
Name Email URI
African Population and Health Research Center datarequest@aphrc.org www.aphrc.org
Conditions
APHRC data access condition

All non-APHRC staff seeking to use data generated at the Center must obtain written approval to use the data from the Director of Research.
This form is developed to assess applications for data use and facilitate responsible sharing of data with external partners/collaborators/researchers. By entering into this agreement, the undersigned agrees to use these data only for the purpose for which they were obtained and to abide by the conditions outlined below:

1.Data Ownership:
The data remain the property of APHRC; any unauthorized reproduction and sharing of the data is strictly prohibited. The user will, therefore, not release nor permit others to use or release the data to any other person without the written authorization from the Center.

2.Purpose:
The provided data must be used for the purpose specified in the Data Request Form; any other use not specified in the form must receive additional or separate authorization.

3.Respondent Identifiers:
The Center is committed to protecting the identity of the respondents who provide information in its research. All analytical data sets (both qualitative and quantitative) released by the Data Unit MUST are stripped of respondent identifiers to protect the identity of the respondents. By accepting to use APHRC data, the user is pledging that he/she will not, under any circumstance, regenerate the identifiers or permit others to use the data to learn the identity of any individual, household or community included in any data set.

4.Confidentiality pledge:
The user will not use nor permit others to use the data to report any information in the data sets that could identify, directly or by inference, individuals or households.

5.Reporting of errors or inconsistencies:
The user will promptly notify the Head of the Statistics and Survey Unit any errors discovered in the data as soon as the errors are discovered.

6.Publications resulting from APHRC data:
The Center requires external collaborators to work with APHRC staff on all publications resulting from its data. In order to facilitate this, lead authors should send a detailed concept note of the paper (including the background, rationale, data, analytical methods, and preliminary findings) to the Principle Investigator (or Theme Leader) for the project (with a copy to the Director of Research), who will circulate the abstract to concerned researchers for possible expression of interest in participating in the publication as co-authors. Any exception to the involvement of APHRC staff should be approved by the Director of Research, APHRC.

7.Security:
The user will take responsibility for the security of the data by ensuring that the data are used and stored in a secure environment where access is password protected. This will ensure that non-authorized people should not have access to the data.

8.Loss of privilege to use data:
In the event that APHRC determines that the data user is in violation of the conditions for using the data, or if the user wishes to cancel this agreement, the user will destroy the data files provided to him/her. APHRC retains the right to revoke this agreement or informs publishers to withhold publication of any work based wholly or in part on its data if the conditions for using the data are violated.

9.Acknowledgement:
Any work/reports from this data must acknowledge APHRC as the source of these data. For example, the suggested acknowledgement for NUHDSS data is:
"This research uses livelihoods data collected under the longitudinal Nairobi Urban Health and Demographic Surveillance System (NUHDSS) since 2006. The NUHDSS is carried out by the African Population and Health Research Center in two slums settlements (Korogocho and Viwandani) in Nairobi City."Additionally all funders, the study communities that provided the data, and staff who collected and analyzed or processed the data should be acknowledged.

10.Deposit of Reports/Papers:
The user should submit electronic and paper copies of all publications generated using APHRC data to the Policy Engagement and Communications Department, with copies to the Director of Research.

11.Change of contact details:
The user will promptly inform the Director of Research of any change in your personal details as contained on this data request form.
Citation requirement
Use of the dataset must be acknowledged using a citation which would include:
- the Identification of the Primary Investigator
- the title of the survey (including country, acronym and year of implementation)
- the survey reference number
- the source and date of download

Metadata production

Document ID
DDI-KEN-NGR-ETH-MOZ-APHRC-VAJ-2024-V1.0
Producers
Name Abbreviation Role
African Population and Health Research Center APHRC DDI Documentation
Date of Production
2025-09-12
Document version
Version 1.0 (September 2025)