Analysis of the research activity of the Humanities Faculty in the Mar de Plata University, 1998-2001

Abstract

This paper forms part of a research project sponsored by Mar del Plata University to ascertain the scientific activity conduced by the departments comprising its Humanities Faculty. The curriculum vitae of the entire teaching staff were used as a data source to ensure the analysis would be as exhaustive and accurate as possible. The period analyzed was 1998-2001.
According to the findings of the study, the two most preponderant departments in the faculty in terms of the number of researchers were History and Letters (29.5% and 24.4% of the total, respectively); they were also the departments with the most papers published. In this regard, after peaking in 2000, the total number of publications tumbled drastically in 2001. The professional category found to be most productive was tenured professor except in two of the departments analyzed (Geography and Letters), where assistant and associate professors proved to be more active. Research papers were published primarily in congress minutes and periodicals, a finding that does not concur with the results observed in other studies on this type of researchers. Finally, joint research among staff members was found to be weak and primarily intradepartmental.