A Two-Decade (1981-2000) Analysis Of The Literature Cited In The Journal Of Agricultural Education

Abstract

The Journal of Agricultural Education serves as one of the primary sources for dissemination of new knowledge in the field of agricultural education. Analyzing the citation structure of articles published in the journal provides insight into the theoretical foundations utilized by agricultural education researchers. This analysis was a modified replication of a study performed by Radhakrishna, Eaton, Conroy, &Jackson (1994). Over the course of the 1990s the average number of reference citations per article increased from 13.1 to 19.7. Furthermore, journal articles made up nearly a third of all reference citations and the Journal of Agricultural Education was the most commonly referenced journal as it tallied over 30% of journals referenced. This study also compared current data with similar data collected by Radhakrishna et al. about the Journal of Agricultural Education during the 1980s. The researchers found that reference citations have increased nearly five times from 1981 to 2000. Consistent with the 1980s, authors during the 1990s reference the Journal of Agricultural Education significantly more than any other journal.