A Comparative Study of the Usability of Academic Social Networks

Abstract

Background: Today, academic social networks play an important role in supporting educational and research activities. Objectives: The present study aimed to compare the usability of these academic social networks. Methods: This comparative study was conducted in 2023 to examine four academic social networks. The data collection checklist consisted of 8 dimensions and 70 questions. After checking the website and the guide of these 4 social networks, the resulting data entered Excel for analysis. Results: Among the 4 social networks, Research Gate ranked first with a score of 87.14, followed by LinkedIn with a score of 75.71, Mendeley 65.71 and Academia 51.43. The mean score of communication channels was 65.91, intelligence 66.67, search capabilities 72.50, privacy 67.86, communication management 79.55, customization 71.43, navigation 92.86, and guidelines 43.75. Conclusions: The strength of the investigated social networks lied in the navigation dimension. The dimensions that needed improvement in these social networks were guideline and privacy.