Effect of Gender on Lecturers’ Submission and Retrieval of Research Output in Institutional Repositories in Private Universities in Southern Nigeria

This study was designed to determine the effect of gender on submission and retrieval of research output in IRs by lecturers in private universities in Southern Nigeria. A survey design was employed in the study. A list of lecturers in the two faculties of the two universities was obtained from which 150 lecturers were randomly selected. A self-designed questionnaire was used to collect data from the 150 lecturers out of which 100 were returned. Data were analyzed using frequency distribution, means, percentages, z-test and regression analysis. The study showed that submission of research output in IRs in private universities was significantly and positively influenced by the gender of lecturers, teaching experience and retrieval of research output and was higher for male lecturers. Retrieval of research output from IR was significantly and positively influenced by submission of research output and the qualification of lecturers and was higher for female lecturers. The gender of lecturers did not significantly influence retrieval of research output. The mean submission of research output by male and female lecturers was not significantly different at 5% whereas the mean retrieval of research output by male and female lecturers differed significantly at 5%. Research output submission and retrieval were significantly and positively related. The study concluded that the gender of lecturers significantly influenced submission of research output but was not a significant determinant of research output retrieval. The study recommended that universities should include submission and retrieval of research output in the conditions for performance evaluation of academic staff