Research Trends and Research Methods Used in Highly Cited Articles: A Study of the Top Five Journals in Library and Information Science Ranked by Google Scholar

The objective of this study is to identify and analyze the characteristics of 239 highly cited articles from the top five journals in the field of Library and Information Science (LIS), as indexed by Google Scholar based on their h5-index. The highly cited articles (HCAs) published in these leading LIS journals are examined both quantitatively and qualitatively to address recurring themes related to the selection and application of research methods within the scholarly domain. The study highlights that LIS scholars are employing a greater number and a wider variety of research methods than in the past. Bibliometric studies, citation analysis, social media engagement, author-level metrics, and scientific collaboration have emerged as the preferred research methods, replacing the previously dominant questionnaire surveys and historical methods. This study aids LIS researchers in gaining a better understanding of current research themes and in making more informed decisions regarding the selection and implementation of research methods, data sources in their scholarly pursuits.