Assessing Subject Areas of Worldwide Information Literacy Research and Practice: A Discipline Co-Occurrence Network Analysis Approach

IL is important due to its potentiality to optimize the use of available information and to transform the novice into self-directed lifelong learners. It has gained ground and much attention in every field of knowledge which is assured by rapid increase in related literature. Since, the IL skills require subject-oriented approach not only to develop standard, guide, framework, tools, etc. but also to evaluate, assess, and impact of IL skills. Thus, measuring of the subject areas of IL publications and it co-occurrence is imperative and the objective of the present study. Based on data from Scopus database, network visualization technique is applied for the measure subject areas co-occurrence and related trends in the IL research articles published during 2001-16. IL publications show linear growth in the study period and trend is also in the same line. IL publications are spread into 26 out of 27 subject areas of Scopus database while there is research gap in Immunology and Microbiology. Social Science is observes as the core subject area while Computer Sciences, Arts and Humanities, Engineering, and Medicine are playing key role in IL research and practices. Social Sciences control the knowledge flow in the network i.e. every new ideas in the network is communicated through this. Highest co-occurrences are observed in Social Sciences and Computer Science followed by Social Sciences--Arts and Humanities; Social Sciences--Business, Management and Accounting; and Social Sciences--Medicine. The findings of the study are proxy of the current status and trend in the subject areas of worldwide IL publications thus provides panoramic view of IL publications in different subjects of world of knowledge.