Use of Social Networks in the Scientific Journals of the University of Los Andes, Venezuela

Abstract

In a society where barriers seem to be increasingly diffusive, Social Networks seem to be one of the main methods of direct communication to access, share, use and obtain content that at one time implicated hours of research. The objective of this study was to offer a diagnosis about of the participation in these channels, as appropriate means for the dissemination of knowledge, of each of the 90 scientific journals of the University of Los Andes (ULA).The same was approached from a documentary work methodology, with non-experimental-transverse descriptive design, where a presence was determined –along with its respective characteristics– in two horizontal-general Social Networks –such as Facebook and Twitter–, and two vertical Social Networks, one of the this of professional profile –LinkedIn–, and other of contents: Youtube. This is so given the availability and accessibility to a substantial part of the population with access to the internet. Nevertheless, it was perceived that only 22,3% of journals analyzed were members of at least one of this Social Networks. Of these, some are not consistently active and as such, the list of subscribers is short and its accessibility, limited. It is recommended that their respective personnel make a concerted effort to improve their visibility and broadcasting, such as registration in more Social Networks and a constant maintenance of them.