Study of Intention to Use Social Networking Sites and its Effect on Research Outputsof Medical Faculty Members in Tabriz University of Meical Sciences and Maragheh Using Technology Acceptance Model

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Today, social networks have become the most important means of communication and information exchange among people. Scientific social networks also play an important role as specialized social networks in the exchange of educational, research and health information between specialists. Objective: The purpose of this study is to study the tendency to use scientific social networks and the effect of using them in the research outputs of faculty members of Tabriz and Maragheh Universities of Medical Sciences from the perspective of faculty members of Tabriz and Maragheh University of Medical Sciences based on technology acceptance model. Methods and Materials: This research is a descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted from May 1, 2016 to the end of October 2016 among professors and researchers of Tabriz and Maragheh Universities of Medical Sciences. The total population was 1054 people and the data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire whose validity was done by a survey of experts and its reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha score. The statistical sample was estimated to be equal to the whole statistical population. The completed questionnaire was collected from the available population and statistically analyzed in SPSS v24 statistical software. Results: 624 people (251 females and 361 males) answered the questions. Findings showed that there is no relationship between gender, increasing the tendency to share tacit and objective knowledge, improving resource and citation management and the use of scientific social networks (p0.01). To scientific social networks, understanding the applicability of scientific social networks, increasing the researchers' HTML index, ease of using scientific social networks, creating a desire to communicate and collaborate with international researchers, creating and increasing areas of scientific participation and interaction with other researchers Peer, there is a relationship between the download and reading of researchers' articles and the ability to keep up to date and the use of scientific social networks (p0.01). Conclusion: These findings will help the country's scientific policy makers to apply strategies to encourage faculty members to join scientific social networks and increase scientific cooperation between them, according to which researchers use this Networks also promote the country's scientific position in the world.