Mapping Collaboration Networks: A Co-Authorship Analysis of Major Statistical Journals in Nigeria (2020–2024)
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Abstract
This research investigates the structure and dynamics of academic collaboration within Nigeria's statistical research community by conducting a social network analysis of co-authorship in three prominent journals: The Central Bank of Nigeria Journal of Applied Statistics, The Journal of the Nigerian Statistical Association, and The Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Nigeria Group. A total of 61 articles published between 2020 and 2024 were analysed. The data gathered included author names, institutional affiliations, and publication information. Using this data, a co-authorship network was created and evaluated through centrality measures (closeness, betweenness, and degree), along with indicators of network cohesion such as density, clustering, giant components, average path length, and diameter. Assortativity coefficients were calculated to examine the impact of institutional, regional, and organisational proximity on collaboration patterns. The results indicate a highly centralised network featuring a limited number of influential authors and a dominant giant component, pointing to uneven collaboration. High assortativity scores related to institutional and regional characteristics demonstrate a strong tendency for localised collaboration, whereas lower assortativity based on institution type suggests limited cross-organisational interaction. These findings reveal both the strengths and weaknesses in scholarly collaboration within Nigeria's statistical research community and provide insights for promoting more inclusive academic networks.
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References
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