A 45-year review of the South African Computer Journal (1979 – 2023)

Abstract

This single journal study provides a comprehensive overview of the history and development of the South African Computer Journal (SACJ, formerly Quaestiones Informaticae), combined with a bibliometric and altmetric analysis spanning 45 years from 1979 to 2023. Citation data were sourced from Google Scholar and Scopus, while Mendeley readership counts were used as an alternative metric indicator. A total of 768 articles were analysed to assess journal productivity, authorship patterns and collaboration trends. On average, 17 articles were published per year, with an average of 8.3 Google Scholar citations per article. Citation data reveal that 60% of articles had Google Scholar citations, while 40% remained uncited. The journal exhibits a notable shift from single authorship to multi-authorship, with co-authored articles increasing from 22% (1979 to 1989) to 70% (1990 to 2023). The results indicate a strong association between collaboration and scholarly impact, as articles with two or three authors consistently achieved higher citation counts and Mendeley readership than single-authored articles. The most productive authors and most cited papers were identified. The SACJ journal metrics were also compared with selected international journals in the Computing discipline.