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1. Introduction
Social media usage has been growing rapidly among the academic community, but its impact on education and research is not so clear. Publishers’ agenda to monetize information blocks flow of knowledge and impedes free exchange of ideas (Roach and Gainer, 2013; Beach et al., 2007). Academic social networking sites (ASNSs) counter such problems and provide several means to connect researchers, allowing them to share valuable data and publications which are otherwise difficult to access (Veletsianos, 2013). Academic fraternity uses social media to craft online presence and to collaborate with peers (Gruzd and Goertzen, 2013). The scholarship of social media in higher education is largely focused on the optimal utilization of networked resources. ASNSs facilitate users to organize, create profiles, display research work and connect with peers having similar research interests (Mangan, 2012). ASNSs provide a platform to users to share research interests and questions related to research, and help to boost achievements and compete with peers for research awards (Nentwich and Konig, 2014; Bik and Goldstein, 2013). In predatory open access journals, author bears the cost of the paper, while in ASNSs, the cost of publication relies on advertisers and investors. Some ASNSs specifically relevant to the academic community are ResearchGate, Academia.edu, Mendeley, Zotero (Willinsky, 2006; Beall, 2010). Many unique attributes of these sites are not readily available to users. The present study attempts to compare the four sites to help users choose the appropriate site suited to their requirements. Furthermore, the study aims to assist in developing the features and services of the sites so that more and more people can switch to these ASNSs. The metrics of these sites could also be used in the research evaluation of scientists. Prior to incorporating these metrics in the assessment of the academic community, it is important to evaluate the features and services offered by these sites.
2. Review of literature
Adoption of academic social media is evolving at a fast pace. Therefore, libraries should keep themselves abreast of the features and services provided by these sites. Library and information centres should take a lead role to promote the use of the ASNSs. Several studies were conducted to understand the academic usage of such sites. Williams and Woodacre (2016) observed that studying the...