2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Gauging Scholarly Engagement: An Investigation into Topic Popularity within the ASEE CIT Division

Presented at Computing and Information Technology Division (CIT) Technical Session 2

The American Society for Engineering and Education (ASEE) Computing & Information Technology (CIT) Division's existence spans several decades, and it continues to be a stalwart advocate for numerous research papers and sessions featured at the ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition. The ability to gauge the long-term impact of a scientific article shortly after its publication is invaluable for precisely evaluating research performance. Among the metrics employed to assess an article's research impact, the number of downloads stands out as a significant indicator of research output.

In this paper, our primary goal is to determine which specific topics or domains elicit heightened attention within the research community. This research is driven by the desire to better comprehend the subjects that gain substantial traction among scholars submitting work to the CIT division. Ultimately, our aim is to provide valuable guidance to researchers contemplating the development of new papers or the exploration of emerging research domains.

In pursuit of these objectives, we have compiled a comprehensive dataset for this paper. This dataset encompasses various attributes, including paper titles, citation counts, download statistics, author details (including the number of authors and their respective order), author names, and affiliated institutions. It encompasses papers submitted to the Computing and Information Technology (CIT) division of the American Society for Engineering and Education (ASEE) over a substantial period, from 2011 to 2023. Within this dataset, 427 papers are included, featuring download counts ranging from as few as 3 to as many as 27,404.

Our work introduces a novel approach for identifying research topics with the potential to significantly influence future research directions. The interplay between download counts and citation statistics assumes a pivotal role in appraising and predicting upcoming trends in research. While prior studies have extensively examined the multifaceted factors affecting citation counts, encompassing both cited and citing papers, this particular research narrows its focus to download numbers. Specifically, we aim to explore the download and citation statistics of papers submitted to the Computer and Information Technology (CIT) division of ASEE.

Authors

Dr. Barry M. Lunt Brigham Young University [biography]

Dr. Barry Lunt has taught electronics engineering technology, information technology, and cybersecurity at Brigham Young University since 1993 where he now serves as a full professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He has also taught electronics at Utah State University and Snow College. Before academia, he was a design engineer with IBM in Tucson, AZ.
Dr. Mudasser Fraz Wyne National University [biography]

I hold a Ph.D. in Computer Science, an M.Sc. in Engineering, and a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering. Currently, I am honored to serve as a Professor of Computer Science and as the Chair for the Department of Computer Science and Information Systems at the School of Technology and Engineering, National University, San Diego, USA. Additionally, I am entrusted with the role of Academic Program Director for the MS in Computer Science.
Over the years, I have played key leadership roles, including Chair of the University Research Council, Chair of the Council of the Chairs, Chair of the Undergraduate Council Program Review Committee, Chair of the Graduate Council Program Review Committee, and Chair of the School of Academic Affairs Committee. My association with ABET USA dates back to 2001, where I have served as the Commissioner for the Computer Accreditation Commission (CAC) and ABET Visit Team Chair. Currently, I am honored to be a Program Evaluator for BSc in Computer Science and BSc in Information Systems.
In my academic journey, I have successfully secured various grants, including the prestigious Fulbright. I have contributed to the international academic community by participating in numerous Ph.D. Thesis committees and serving on the editorial boards of eight international journals. Furthermore, I have chaired and co-chaired 20 international conferences, led panel discussions, and contributed to over 250 international conference program committees.
As a testament to my commitment to professional organizations, I am an active member of ACM, ASEE, ASEE/PSW, and CSAB. I have previously served as ASEE-CIT Division Chair and Program Chair, and I am currently honored to serve as the Program Chair for the Software Engineering Division and as the Division Chair for the CIT Division.
David A Wood Brigham Young University

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