Abstract:

The case is made for Africa Citation Index (ACI), which will focus primarily on research activities in different areas of knowledge in/on Africa by Africans, their coauthors as well as non-Africans. A functional distinction between bibliographies, which are relatively popular in Africa, and citation indexes is provided, as well as a justification for the latter. It is suggested that a regional citation index such as ACI will be ecologically more adequate for understanding the nature, structure, use and flow of scientific research and production in Africa than the mainstream databases. Finally we identify, as well as suggest, how to address some of the major constraints that might confront production of the index.

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Nwagwu, Williams (2006). Organising and monitoring research production and performance in Africa: Towards Africa Citation Index. Presented at the International Conference on Bridging the North-South Divide in Scholarly Communication in the South: Threats and Opportunities in the Digital Era, organised by Council for the Development of Social Science in Africa (CODESRIA) and African Studies Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands, 6-8 September 2006