Content Analysis of Articles Quarterly Journal of Tourism Management Studies (2012-2011)

Studying the process of producing scientific articles in any field of knowledge, can provide a clear picture of the scientific trajectory of a journal and, identify research gaps in that area. Meantime, reviewing the published researches in tourism studies can provide a correct understanding of theoretical approaches, methods, and techniques used by researchers. Moreover, it indicates how theoretical development and methodological progress, can provide documentary information. It presents the evolution and process of conducting these researches over a specific period of time. Yet it can provide clear vision of limitations, harms, and issues that need more attention from researchers as well as managers and planners in this field. The purpose of this study is to review scientific articles published in the journal "Tourism Management Studies" based on four components: characteristics and pattern of participation of authors and methodological, citation, and functional characteristics of articles. The research method is descriptive and the content analysis method has been used specifically. The collection of information is in the form of libraries and the method of their analysis is quantitative. Samples are 219 articles (N = 219), including all articles published in Tourism Management Studies journal, during 1391 to 1398, in 8 periods and 32 issues (17-48). Study result has revealed, a clear picture of authors' participatory patterns as well as the methodological, functional and citation features of articles. It also describes the trajectory and trend of stability or changes in each of the patterns and features studied, in eight years of this journal.