Abstract:
The purpose of the research on "A Content Analysis of Thammasat University Journal" is as follows ; (1) to examine the numbers and scope of the article contents if they are in accordance with the subject fields of study of Thammasat University or not ; (2) to examine the writers and analyze the contents if they accord with the objectives of publishing the journal or not ; (3) to study the trend of the article contents under the responsibility of the editor of each period. In conducting the research, the researcher reviewed all relevant literature as well as interviewed the editors and the persons involved in publishing the studied journal. With the advent of Thammasat University Undergraduate Bulletin 1982 - 1983, the content analysis tables were constructed. The population of 275 articles from Thammasat University Journal volume 1 number 1, 1971 to volume 11 number 4, 1982 were closely examined, analyzed and tallied in the tables. The numbers of articles or writers in each table were added up, and their percentage was computed. The research results can be concluded as follows : 1. The subjects with the first most contents were the Liberal Arts Subjects which numbered 133 articles out of the total of 275, or 48.36 percent. The subjects with second and third most contents were Economics and Political Science respectively. Economics had 54 articles, or 19.64 percent, and Political Science had 39 articles, or 14.18 percent. The subject with least content was Laws which had 2 articles, or 0.73 percent. 2. The subject contents in five periods from 1971 to 1982 under each editor's responsibility were as follows : Liberal Arts Subjects had the first most contents in all five devided periods. Economics had the first most contents as Liberal Arts Subjects from 1977 to 1978 and the second most contents from 1971 to 1973, 1974 to 1976, 1979 to 1980, and 1981 to 1982. Political Science had the second most contents in one periods from 1977 to 1978, the third most contents from 1971 to 1973, 1974 to 1976, 1979 to 1980, and the fourth most contents from 1981 to 1982. The third most contents from 1981 to 1982 were Commerce and Accountancy and other subjects. 3. The first most articles written by Thammasat University staff numbered 165 out of the total of 275, or 60 percent. The second most articles written by banks' staff , private agencies' staff, individuals, and others numbered 30, or 10.91 percent. The third most articles written by Chulalongkorn University staff numbered 27 articles, or 9.82 percent. 4. The first most writers were Thammasat University staff. They numbered 117 out of the total of 210, or 55.71 percent. The second most writers were Chulalongkorn University staff which had the same numbers as the writers who were banks' staff, private agencies' staff, individuals and others. They numbered 26 writers, or 12.38 percent. The third most writers were Chiangmai University staff and other government offices' staff which were not universities' ones. Each of the Chiangmai University staff and other government offices' staff had 8 writers, or 3.81 percent. Recommendations 1. The editors of the Thammasat University Journal should encourage Thammasat University lecturers and experts from various fields of study to write their articles for Thammasat University Journal - especially the articles in the subject fields scarcely published or not published in the journal. 2. The editor should solve the problem of article shortage for the journal by encouraging and inviting their colleagues, acquaintances and experts from various fields of study to write articles for the journal. The editor should also inform them of the theme and time for writing their articles. 3. The editors should solve the problem of delay by planning the work in advance and sound out for a new set of editors in early to take over and carry out the work. by this method, the journal of future issues can turn out on time. 4. Thammasat University should increase financial support to the lecturers, staff and students to do research and encourage them to give the information of the research in the journal. With these articles, the journal will be more interesting. 5. The University should improve the working structure of this journal in order to produce the qualified and punctual journal. 6. The position of the editor for this journal should rotate to all faculties. If we have the editor from different faculties. it will be of great advantage in publishing the journal for all fields of study. 7. Every faculty and its programs should consider the instructors' articles published in the Thammasat University Journal - more than those published in other journals - as a factor for the instructors' career promotion. 8. The University should provide the financial support in the fixed proportion of the total cost per issue.