| dc.description.abstract | Reference management software (RMS) application is highly emphasised in academic research
to improve research quality. However, studies raise concerns about their effectiveness since they
have errors in functionality, language limitations, and inaccuracy of the citations and references
generated. This study aimed to establish how effective RMS is in improving research quality. The
study objectives were to investigate what reference management software is in use in the
universities in Nairobi County, Kenya and to establish if reference management software
programmes are effective in enhancing the quality of research in the selected universities. The
study adopted a descriptive research design. This assisted the researchers in gathering data
through a survey where an online questionnaire was administered to 18 respondents. All the
universities within the County of Nairobi constituted the target population. The unit of analysis
was the University Librarians because of their crucial role in promoting research quality in Kenyan
Universities. In the analysis, insights were derived using a computer-based statistical package for
social science (SPSS). The study revealed high satisfaction with RMS, particularly in terms of
necessity, visual appeal, integration capabilities, and automatic formatting of references. While
University librarians reported ease of navigation, there was limited awareness of alternative
referencing approaches. Continuous institutional training programs for librarians and researchers
on RMS usage, covering basic and advanced functionalities, are recommended. | en_US |
