A Qualitative Study on Visibility of African Journals

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.