Abstract

NAUDE, Filistéa  and  KROEZE, Jan H.. A 45-year review of the South African Computer Journal (1979-2023). SACJ [online]. 2025, vol.37, n.2, pp.5-36. ISSN 2313-7835.  https://doi.org/10.18489/sacj.v37i2.21924.

This single-journal study provides a comprehensive overview of the history and development of the South African Computer Journal (SACJ; formerly Quaestiones Informaticae), combined with a bibliometric and altmetric analysis spanning 45 years (1979-2023). Citation data were sourced from Google Scholar and Scopus, while Mendeley readership counts were used as an alternative metric indicator. In total, 768 articles were analysed to assess journal productivity, authorship patterns and collaboration trends. On average, 17 articles were published per year, with an average of 8.3 Google Scholar citations per article. Citation data revealed that 60% of articles had Google Scholar citations, while 40% remained uncited. The journal exhibited a notable shift from single to multi-authorship, with co-authored articles increasing from 22% (1979-1989) to 70% (1990-2023). The results indicate a strong association between collaboration and scholarly impact, as articles with two or three authors consistently achieved higher citation counts and Mendeley readership. The most productive authors and most cited papers were identified. The SACJ journal metrics were also compared with selected international journals in the Computing discipline. Categories · Applied Computing ~ Digital libraries and archives · General and reference ~ Surveys and overviews

Keywords : Altmetrics; Authorship; Bibliometrics; Citation analysis; Collaboration; Google Scholar; Mendeley readership; Quaestiones Informaticae; Scopus; South African Computer Journal.

        · text in English     · English ( pdf )