Revista General de Información y Documentación
Revista General de Información y Documentación (ISSN 1132-1873, ISSN-e 1988-2858), founded in 1991, is published by the Faculty of Documentation Sciences. It is published every six months and includes research related to Documentation Science in its broadest sense (Archives, Libraries, Documentation Management, Bibliographic Heritage, Communication Media, etc.). The journal includes three sections: Articles and Reviews.
In order to support the global exchange of knowledge, the journal Revista General de Información y Documentación is allowing unrestricted access to its content as from its publication in this electronic edition, and as such it is an open-access journal. The originals published in this journal are the property of the Complutense University of Madrid and any reproduction thereof in full or in part must cite the source. All content is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 use and distribution licence (CC BY 4.0). This circumstance must be expressly stated in these terms where necessary. You can view the summary and the complete legal text of the licence.
Analysis of press photography in the 2024 presidential elections in Mexico
The research contextualizes the role that press photography plays today, as an important and transcendent element that records and documents social, cultural and political processes. The study was carried out with a quantitative methodological approach. Twelve digital newspapers were selected for data collection and analysis, six nationally and six internationally; A semi-structured instrument composed of 12 variables was used, with which we sought to identify attributes, characteristics and distinctive features of digital images, with the purpose of analyzing the use of press photography during the candidates' campaign stage, Claudia Sheinbaum , Xóchitl Gálvez and Jorge Álvarez Máynez in the 2024 presidential election in Mexico, in the period defined by the National Electoral Institute, which spanned from March 1 to March 31 May. In the development of the investigation, the analysis of images published in different journalistic articles was carried out, with the purpose of identifying the candidate shown in them. The results of the study expose different findings, for example, trends in the use of the image in campaigns, photographs per newspaper, types of shots, photography agencies, publication day, photographers, among others, which account for the use of the image in the electoral process and contrast the number of photographs published with respect to the result of the presidential election. The conclusions of the study confirm what was achieved in the election where the candidate Claudia Sheinbaum was the winner of the process.
Copyright (c) 2025 Revista General de Información y Documentación
Scientific production on the use of artificial intelligence in higher education in Latin America
In the coming years, artificial intelligence (AI) is estimated to play a decisive role in the educational field in the transformation of teaching and learning methods. This research aims to analyze the scientific production on the use of AI in the context of higher education according to Scopus in the period 2019-2023. A bibliometric study of relevant literature was carried out with the aim of presenting an updated view of knowledge in a specific area or topic, where indicators of productivity, thematic co-occurrence, and impact were analyzed. In general terms, the topics covered in these studies indicate that research on the use of AI and emerging technologies in education is growing rapidly, where specialized journals and various authors have consolidated collaboration networks in a rapidly expanding field. Mexico leads scientific production in Latin America.
Bibliometric analysis of the Spanish scientific production in Optometry
Optometry is recognized as a health profession, which is gaining great relevance due to the high visual demands required by the new technologies that we use in our daily lives. This study analyzes the scientific production in the area of ​​optometry generated in Spanish institutions. Scopus is used as a data source, including the Spanish publications collected in the journals indexed in the Optometry category and those that have been recovered through the search of the entire database using the descriptor optometr* up to the year 2023 included. Indicators of production, impact and collaboration were obtained and the main topics addressed, the most productive authors and institutions of the 1,107 publications included in the study were analyzed. The results show that Optometry in Spain is at a time of expansion of its scientific production.
Analysis of metadata in art museum institutions of the "Ibermuseos" Cooperation Program
The metadata used in the cataloging records of art museums participating in the “Ibermuseos” Cooperation Program is analyzed, evaluating its depth, standardization, and public accessibility through digital platforms. With a mixed quantitative and qualitative approach, the research emphasizes a contextualized understanding of museological practices and the complex interrelations between theory and data. A structured questionnaire was designed and applied to a sample of 730 museums selected from the Ibero-American Museum Registry. After conducting a pretest and making various methodological adjustments, 77 responses were obtained, representing approximately 10% of the initial sample. The results reveal variability in metadata usage and underscore the importance to improve database updates and terminological standardization within Ibermuseos. This study provides key elements to strengthen interregional cooperation and democratize access to knowledge in the museological field.
Scientific mapping of Mixed Reality in education: Keyword analysis and bibliographic coupling
from the incorporation of emerging technologies that enhance learning processes. However, there is a lack of studies that delve into the use of mixed reality in educational settings. Mixed Reality combines the advantages of virtual and augmented reality, making it a promising tool for education. The aim of this research is to analyze trends in the use of Mixed Reality in educational contexts through bibliometric techniques. For this purpose, the Web of Science database and the PRISMA methodology were used, resulting in a final sample of 159 documents. The findings reveal a research line focused on the combined use of Mixed Reality, Augmented Reality, and Virtual Reality in education. Another line focuses on applying Mixed Reality to improve communication and social interaction for students with autism. Key publications such as those by Tang et al. (2020) and Maas and Hughes (2020) have been fundamental in shaping different research areas. It is concluded that there are still areas, such as primary and secondary education, where the use of Mixed Reality has not been explored in depth. As a suggestion for future research, it is recommended to use software tools that allow the analysis of additional qualitative and quantitative indicators related to publications in this field.
Study of the documentary collection of the Real Casa de Beneficencia y Maternidad de La Habana (1830-1898): classification proposal and research sources
The main objective of this work is to present the analysis of the documentary collection produced by the Cuban institution the Real Casa de Beneficencia y Maternidad during the 19th century. Firstly, we identified the producing institution and the documentation produced. Secondly, the classification and the proposal of the classification chart were made based on an intellectual organization, but with the aim of being able to implement it. Finally, it is presented, by virtue of the unpublished documentation found, the sources of research that can be initiated with the information from these "new sources". In short, the purpose of this analysis is to showcase the richness and documentary variety of the collection and to offer the National Archive of Cuba a basic classification chart for the definitive one that will allow, ultimately, the physical arrangement of the documentation under standardized archival criteria.
Water supply in the Madrid of Ferdinand VI (1746-1759): civil servants, procedures and documents
Abstract. This article analyses the civil servants who were in charge of water supply in one way or another in the Madrid of Ferdinand VI (1746-1759). The historical-administrative and documentary facets are studied, addressing the access to the profession through the files that have been preserved in the Villa de Madrid Archive. In this respect, we have identified the processes that, in one way or another, led to his appointment and the documentation that has resulted from them; the typologies of which have been analysed using diplomatic criteria, in accordance with their internal structure and documentary tradition. To this end, two examples have been selected, embodied in the minor plumbers and the bailiff of the Fountain Council.
«E los que las tienen escriptas las ronpan, tiren, e chançellen»: censorship systems and legislative background to the Spanish Indexes of Forbidden Books
The Indexes of Forbidden Books were a tremendously effective tool of bibliographic control to regulate the content and form of printed works from the second half of the 16th century onwards. However, these indexes, which have been extensively studied from various disciplines, not only draw on, but also adapt the legislation enacted in the preceding centuries. Despite this, little is known about the systems of regulation and control of the libraries of the previous centuries in the territories of the Hispanic monarchy. The legislation regulating the production, dissemination and possession of Spanish religious books, both manuscript and printed, issued by the ecclesiastical and civil authorities in the centuries prior to the 16th century, is compiled and studied in order to assess the extent to which it influenced the application of prohibitions and the exercise of censorship in Spanish religious books prior to the introduction of the Index of Prohibited Books.
Pioneers of photography in Navarre: economic and professional contributions of women in photographic studios and in the publishing and trade of postcards (1861 – 1934)
This study examines the economic and professional contributions of women to the founding and consolidation of the first photographic studios in Navarre. They contributed their own money and labor, both in studios and shops selling photographic products, as well as in the production and sale of postcards, thus facilitating the dissemination of this new photographic medium, its forms of social interaction, and its specific visual culture. The biographies and professional trajectories of these pioneering women, who worked in Pamplona, Tudela, Tafalla and Burguete from the mid-19th century to the early decades of the 20th, are investigated. The research is conducted through a bibliographic review, the compilation and critical analysis of a wide range of archival, newspaper, and documentary sources, many of them previously unpublished. Among the results, the study of figures such as María Eliceche, Urbana de Errazti, Carolina Soler, Juana Juaristi, Ana María Lapetra, Higinia and Casimira Ybarra, Julia Zalba, Emilia Velasco, Serapia Olaverri, Esmeralda Pliego, Blanca Pliego, Isolina Pliego, Ulpiana Laborda, Justa Arozarena, Dominica Cortijo, Avelina Lasheras and Pascuala Echevarría stands out.
Patterns and Disparities in Research Funding in Spain: An analysis of Knowledge Generation Projects (2020-2023)
Public research funding plays a crucial role in scientific development, shaping the priorities and competitiveness of universities and research institutions. This study presents a bibliometric analysis of research project funding under the Knowledge Generation Projects program (2020–2023), examining trends, distribution, and disparities across institutions, disciplines, and regions. Data from 25,501 project applications were analyzed, revealing that 12,600 projects received funding, while 12,901 were rejected. The study highlights significant differences in funding success rates among universities, public research organizations (OPIs), and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). Results indicate that CSIC leads in both success rate (67.43%) and funding per project, while private universities show the lowest success rate (30.14%) and receive marginal funding. The analysis also uncovers disparities among scientific disciplines, with physical sciences, mathematics, and biomedicine receiving higher success rates and funding per project, whereas humanities and social sciences exhibit lower success rates. Geographically, Catalonia and Madrid emerge as the primary beneficiaries, while regions like La Rioja, Extremadura, and the Canary Islands receive less funding per capita. These findings suggest a persistent concentration of resources in well-established institutions and regions, raising concerns about equity in research funding distribution. The study contributes to the debate on public funding policies by providing a comprehensive overview of trends, challenges, and potential areas for improvement in Spain’s competitive research funding system.
Ballarín Domingo, Pilar. Cruzando fronteras. Mujeres en la Universidad de Granada 1900-1936. Granada: Editorial Universidad de Granada, 2024
Analysis of Scientific Production published in the journals of the Ecuador collection in SciELO: Trends and Challenges (2014-2022)
This study examines the scientific production of Ecuador in the SciELO network between 2014 and 2022. The main objective is to analyze the temporal evolution, areas of specialization, types of documents, language of publication, international collaboration, and access licenses open in Ecuadorian scientific production. The methodology is based on a cross-sectional descriptive design, using the SciELO Analytics and Analytics Visualizations web tools to collect and analyze data in September 2023. The results reveal a notable increase in the number of documents published over time, indicating a growth and consolidation of Ecuador's scientific production on the SciELO platform. The areas of Applied Social Sciences and Engineering stand out with a high representation, reflecting the thematic priorities in Ecuadorian research. Most documents are research articles and are published under open-access licenses, promoting the dissemination of research. Ecuador maintains significant international collaborations, which contributes to the visibility of its publications worldwide. Although Spanish is the predominant language, the presence of English and Portuguese demonstrates the openness to global collaboration. The findings highlight progress in Ecuador's scientific development but also point out the importance of diversifying research areas and further promoting international collaboration to strengthen the country's scientific presence in the global community.
What’s gender got to do with it? An assessment of scientific writing on gender studies in Social Sciences and Communication
Gender-related studies have grown in social sciences and communication in the past few years. This interest follows society’s shift and newfound knowledge of gender inequalities. Thus, this research will focus specifically on social sciences and communication, where we question and attempt to evaluate how gender matters have been scrutinised and researched by other authors, also identifying keywords used in the publications, researchers’ collaborations, and their provenience. Our quantitative-method approach tackles the bibliographic information from Web of Science, where we retrieved articles authored by at least one individual affiliated with a Spanish or Portuguese institution, published between 2012 and 2022, and included in the Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) (N = 792) and Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) (N = 489) databases. By adding a filter of the Communication discipline according to the WoS Category, we ended up with a disaggregated sample of 42 articles in SSCI and 39 documents in ESCI. Data reveal that gender studies are developed mainly in social sciences rather than communication, Spanish researchers collaborate more with Anglo-Saxon countries, and social sciences privilege reflections on gender identity and the gender gap. In contrast, communication focuses more on feminism and social media.
Professional identities in the archival field: a look located in the historical archives of Uruguay
The present contribution focuses on the professional identity of archivists, focusing on the historical archives of Uruguay to contribute to the understanding of the identity processes related to the archival professional group and the discussion on this topic, addressing a particular reality such as that of historical archives in Uruguay. Starting from the notion of field understood as a social space of action and influence in which social relations converge (Bourdieu, 1988), we seek to know what relationships are defined within this field by the possession or production of a specific form of capital. For this purpose, 16 semi-structured interviews were carried out based on an intentional sample of people who work in the field of archives in Uruguay, which was made up of twelve archivists and four people who graduated from other training. The testimonies were collected during the year 2023; through them, the field could be composed as a space where several disciplines converge, predominately archivists and historians. The findings show the tensions within the field and what factors can trigger them. The research made it possible to identify these tensions, in some cases from tangible elements (Law No. 19768, Archiving. Recognition of their professional status and regulation of their activity), which are recovered through the words of the professionals interviewed.
Analysis of the editorial policies of legal journals in Latin America in Spanish with open access in Scopus
Research is a task of vital importance, and for this it is necessary to be able to provide an overview of the guidelines that scientific journals have in order to publish articles; especially when there is a wide range of magazines of this nature. This in order to optimize and strengthen research. Therefore, the objective of this work is to analyze the editorial policies of open access law journals in Latin America in Spanish in Scopus. The work of the magazines was carried out regarding the topics of nationality, quartiles, periodicity, number of authors allowed, type of citation, processing charges and disciplines published by the magazine. Concluding that this research stands as a bibliometric tool for the service of the legal and scientific community, where they can verify their policies
Español Correspondence in the process of identifying the photographs of León Martínez-Fortún Erlés in the photographic collection of the Martínez-Fortún Fonds of the Municipal Archive of Valladolid
In 2019, the Martínez-Fortún family donated his family archives to the Valladolid Municipal Archives, with documentation ranging from the fifteenth to the twentieth century. One of its most remarkable pieces is a collection of photographs from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries of a considerable historical value for the information it provides about its members, the activities they developed and their participation in the Spanish and Cuban society, economy and politics of the time. As we carry out the task of describing the photographs, it becomes necessary to identify, above all, the people who appear in the snapshots. The fact that the collection is part of the Martínez-Fortún archives has facilitated this task of identification, since among the letters that make up the series Correspondence we find some that can be related to photographs in the collection. The relationship between photographic and textual documents, something natural in the organic set of documents that constitutes an archive, gives us the possibility of providing the images with an archival and historical context. In this way, in addition to recognising the people photographed, they can be placed in the coordinates of time and space. The present article studies the relationship between the letters in the family collection and the photographs of León Martínez-Fortún Erlés, one of the first members of the family for whom we have images in the collection, in order to contextualize them temporally and spatially.
Funding and sustainability in archives: a metasynthesis
The financial management of archives is essential to guarantee their continuity and access to information in the long term. This study explores how public and private policies affect the sustainability of these institutions, highlighting how the funding of these services is essential for the pursuit of their mission. A systematic review of the qualitative literature on the funding and sustainability of archives is carried out, identifying gaps and emerging trends. Preliminary results point to a scarcity of studies. Strategies include diversification of sources, innovative fundraising and partnerships. While museums have made significant progress in this area, archives face challenges such as a lack of financial transparency and the absence of comprehensive data, making international comparisons difficult. Public funding is crucial, but revenue diversification is necessary to ensure sustainability. In summary, archives need to adopt an entrepreneurial stance and be open to new opportunities to ensure their financial sustainability; futher research on these issues is also needed.
Trends in research on learning in virtual environments, a bibliometric study
The introduction of the technological component in training processes arouses the interest of scientists from different areas, giving rise to a broad and well-founded theoretical spectrum of learning processes under virtual environments. The study seeks to analyze the development and perspectives of learning under virtual environments. In the methodological development, bibliometrics is applied as a useful discipline in the quantitative analysis of scientific documents, using sources and tools such as Scopus, Excel and VOSviewer software. A total of 1,867 documents published between 1996 and 2023 are analyzed, identifying the most cited publications and authors, the countries or territories leading the research, as well as the journals and topics of greatest interest. The bibliometric analysis helps to establish trends and future research agenda. The findings indicate that research on learning in virtual environments is oriented towards four foci: virtual reality, the human being, e-learning and learning systems. Emerging research topics include immersive virtual reality, machine learning, gamification, learning algorithms, virtual simulation, computational thinking and digital learning strategies, and research aimed at making learning more accessible and meaningful in virtual environments.
Illuminated postcards, image of the frivolous. Influence of the French theater in the Spanish stages of the early twentieth century
Illuminated cupletistas postcards in fin-de-siecle Spain represent a singular phenomenon with the production of millions of copies distributed within and across borders. Eclipsed by the normalization of black and white photography officially accepted as “artistic photography” and relegated to oblivion by social morality, the colored cupletistas postcards exercised an essential social function in the impulse of the process of change that the Spanish society was living in between centuries. After identifying the extensive production of cupletists' postcards that constituted the major channel of economic income of the Spanish photographic studios at the beginning of the century, we first analyze the causes of the generalized use of rudimentary techniques of color application on the positive black and white image, to the detriment of other more sophisticated and innovative techniques such as photochrome. This leads us to analyze the social and cultural context in which the photographic document develops and the social function acquired by the cupletistas postcard to understand that the use of this rudimentary technique responds to the need for an agile and economical process that facilitates mass production, as well as the intentionality of a creative process closer to the “artistic intervention” than to the mere application of color. This intention interferes with and modifies the narrative of the cupletistas postcard and reinforces its use as a tool for the promotion of the modernization process that fin-de-siecle Spain was undergoing.
Relationship between secondary school libraries, the media and social problems: bibliographic research
An analysis is made of the interrelationship connecting Spanish school libraries, the use of social media, and the different social issues that form part of secondary education pupils' curriculum in Spain, with especial emphasis on issues related to vulnerability and social awareness. The analysis was carried out through a bibliographic review of current legislation, regulations, and strategic plans, as well as by retrieving scientific articles, reports, and conference papers from searches of different databases. This yielded a bibliographic corpus of 81 documents to which a detailed in-depth study of keyword repetition frequency was applied. The result was a final definitive set of documents providing an overview of the state of the question, with keywords such as 'migrant', 'refugee', 'social media', and 'school library' being among the top terms found in them.
Analysis of graphic humor in Mundo Gráfico magazine during the Second Spanish Republic (1931-1936)
The aim of this paper is to examine the humorous drawings published in Mundo Gráfico magazine during the Second Spanish Republic (April 1931 – July 1936). The cartoons featured in this weekly publication are analyzed based on their origin (the original medium in which they were published), authorship, dates, sections in which they appeared, and themes. The findings of this research offer the quantification and analysis of the drawings, and valuable insights into international magazines of the time, Spanish graphic artists, sociocultural aspects, and Mundo Gráfico itself.
Children's fiction books with augmented reality: assessment and foresight of a publishing phenomenon
The integration of augmented reality (AR) technology in children's books has represented one of the most promising publishing innovations of the past few decades. Incorporating multimodal digital content, which appears when readers overlap a mobile phone or tablet with specific pages, broadens the expressive possibilities of publications and can encourage reading motivation without losing direct contact with the physical book. This paper analyzes the Spanish experience with these publications, focusing on the corpus of children's fiction works with AR; the aim is to determine the social impact of the phenomenon and the publishing sector’s assessment. To this end, the research adopts an ethnographic perspective, combining qualitative (interviews) and quantitative techniques (record counting). The results confirm a decreasing trend in the annual publication of AR books. Moreover, although the study shows the presence of the corpus in public libraries and bookstores, there is a general lack of awareness of these publications and limited attention in recommendation spaces. Publishers negatively assess the commercial results, but consider the professional experience as an enriching challenge. Looking ahead, and among the possible conditions for publishing books with AR, the importance of digital content which provides real added value to children's works is emphasized. Other conclusions are the need to strengthen editorial teams with new creative profiles, develop collaboration strategies for promoting AR books, and enhance teacher training in reading innovations.
Reyes Gómez, Fermín de los. Incunables para la salvación. Bulas de indulgencias españolas (1473-1500). Gijón: Trea, 2024
Gómez-Díaz, Raquel; Agustín-Lacruz, Carmen. Con Netflix y a lo loco. Aprender y entretenerse. Barcelona: UOC, 2025
1 d. C. (después de ChatGPT): Inteligencia artificial generativa en la educación superior. Valencia: PUV, 2024. 226 p. ISBN: 978-84-1118-425-0.
Documenting the archaeological heritage in a museum: the case of the frigate “Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes” in the National Museum of Underwater Archeology ARQVA
The analysis of the state of the documentation of the underwater cultural heritage of the ARQVA National Museum of Underwater Archeology makes it possible to identify the priorities, needs and actions aimed at adequate control and management of the collections, documentary, administrative and bibliographic funds. A Documentation Program is proposed to improve the development and management of knowledge in the museum. To this end, documentation priorities are defined, articulated around the cultural asset and its context, the standardization of documentation processes and information structures, the tools used, the documentary and photographic archive organization, and conservation treatments with research as the axis the mentioned Program. We propose the loading of the frigate Mercedes as a case study. Finally, the advantages of controlling and organizing documentary production around underwater cultural heritage are considered, fact which facilitates the preservation of information that it holds, its access and dissemination.
Copyright (c) 2024 Revista General de Información y Documentación
Analysis of the digital competences of the students of the degrees of the Faculty of Business, Finance and Tourism of the University of Extremadura
The demand for digital skills for life and work is growing every day. There is currently a Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027), an initiative of the European Union (EU) to support the effective adaptation of education and training of all EU members in the digital age. The aim of this study is therefore to determine the level of digital competence of students at the Faculty of Business, Finance and Tourism of the University of Extremadura (Spain) and to identify whether or not there is a gender digital divide. To this end, a sample of 332 students from the aforementioned faculty was selected and, by applying the Digital Competences in Higher Education Questionnaire (CDES), the data collected were analysed using the SPSS software. The results of the study reflect a high level of digital competences (64.8%), 65.9% being male and 68.6% female, concluding, therefore, that there is no gender digital divide in our study universe.
The construction of the Miguel Delibes´s Archive. The plan of creation
In this work, as stated in its title, we show the process of identification and organization of the documents of the documentary legacy of the writer Miguel Delibes; in short, the process of construction of the Miguel Delibes Archive, so that the different phases of the writer's creative process can be discovered through the documents in the archive and the documentary relationships established between them.
Disinformation among students arriving at university to pursue degrees related with information science. The cases of Brazil, Cuba and Spain
The article presents the findings of a study conducted as part of a research project about misinformation and disinformation. The study was performed with the cooperation of 16 universities from three Ibero-American countries (Brazil, Cuba and Spain) and the participation of 428 students just beginning their studies for a degree related with information science. The objective was to learn if students newly arrived at university and enrolled in information science degree programmes have the competences needed to detect disinformation and know how to react or behave when news reaches them. Information was collected using a 26-item questionnaire with open and closed answers about the target issues. The results show that a high percentage of students have trouble recognizing news that they receive over social networks as fake and do not use content or context criteria or indicators to determine whether to believe the information they receive or find on social networks. Over 36% rely on their own prior knowledge and opinions. A little more than half of the students (61.9%) claim to verify information at the original source to evaluate its reliability. Surprisingly passive behaviour was found among those students (34.8%) who are unaware of how much incorrect information they receive, and a striking number of students (31.5%) reported having shared some kind of disinformation.
Bibliometric study of research on electoral campaigns in scientific communication journals (2012-2022)
In the field of communication research, there is a substantial collection of scientific texts that have contributed to the analysis of a complex and ever-evolving human phenomenon. Although this literature has been extensively explored, there is one specialty that has yet to receive adequate attention: the scientific production focused on the study of electoral campaigns, which play a crucial role in democratic regimes, particularly in periods of polarisation and declining trust. This article aims to present a specific bibliometric analysis of scientific studies on electoral campaigns published in the most influential Spanish scientific communication journals over the past decade (2012-2022), as well as emerging trends in this field. The sample includes 274 articles published during the last decade that address electoral campaigns from a communicative perspective. Using quantitative bibliometric analysis techniques, a range of variables has been examined, including publication dates, language, authorship and institutional affiliations, keywords, geographical scope, year and country of the elections studied, topics covered, citations received, and methods used. The results reveal a preference for quantitative techniques, especially content analysis, in this scientific production. Additionally, it is observed that articles are predominantly authored by individuals affiliated with public universities, and in recent years, there has been a significant increase in the analysis of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter in the context of electoral campaigns.