The link between dissertation metadata completeness and user engagement in an institutional repository

Abstract

This study investigates the role of metadata quality in Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs), focusing on its completeness and its impact on discoverability and user engagement within institutional repositories (IRs). Using DSpace@MIT as a case study, the current research analyzed 22,276 doctoral dissertations to assess metadata completeness and its correlation with the number of views and downloads. Various metadata fields and usage statistics were extracted for detailed analysis. The study identified a moderate positive correlation between the numbers of unique metadata fields and both the Department Views Ratio (DVR) and Department Download Ratio (DDR), suggesting that enriched metadata can improve the visibility and accessibility of dissertations. Additionally, the length of abstracts is positively correlated with engagement metrics (significance level for all reported results < 0.001). In contrast, title length does not significantly influence the visibility. These findings showed the importance of high-quality metadata in enhancing the discoverability of ETDs. Three limitations are discussed, including the focus on a single repository, the lack of control for other variables that may impact user engagement, and the massive upload of thousands of theses in 2005. This research not only emphasizes the necessity of high-quality metadata for enhancing discoverability but also positions it as a strategic asset that can significantly amplify the visibility and impact of scholarly work. As institutions strive to foster open access and maximize research dissemination, our study provides actionable insights that can guide repository managers in refining their metadata practices.