Personal Research Database

Full Text: 2007\Scientometrics72, 403.pdf

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to explore the character and pattern of the linkage between science and technology in China, based on the database of United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The analysis is focused on the period 1995-2004, a rapid increasing period for Chinese US patents. Using the scientific non-patent references (NPRs) within patents, we investigate the science-technology connection in the context of Chinese regions as well as industrial sectors classified by International Patent Classification (IPC). 11 technological domains have been selected to describe the science intensity of the technology. The results suggest that the patents and the corresponding scientific citations are related in different ways. Finally, we match the scientific NPRs to the Science Citation Index (SCI) covered publications to identify the core journals and categories. It reveals that the scientific references covered by SCI show a skewed distribution not only in journals but also in categories.

Keywords: Analysis, Basic Research Literature, Biotechnology Sectors, China, Chinese, Citations, Core, Database, Distribution, Domains, Germany, Indicators, Industrial, Industry, Innovation Systems, Intensity, Journals, Knowledge Flows, Patents, Publications, SCI, Science, Science and Technology, Science Citation Index, Statistics, United States, US

? Fowler, J.H. and Aksnes, D.W. (2007), Does self-citation pay? Scientometrics, 72 (3), 427-437.

Full Text: 2007\Scientometrics72, 427.pdf

Abstract: Self-citations - those where authors cite their own works - account for a significant portion of all citations. These self-references may result from the cumulative nature of individual research, the need for personal gratification, or the value of self-citation as a rhetorical and tactical tool in the struggle for visibility and scientific authority. In this article we examine the incentives that underlie self-citation by studying how authors’ references to their own works affect the citations they receive from others. We report the results of a macro study of more than half a million citations to articles by Norwegian scientists that appeared in the Science Citation Index. We show that the more one cites oneself the more one is cited by other scholars. Controlling for numerous sources of variation in cumulative citations from others, our models suggest that each additional self-citation increases the number of citations from others by about one after one year, and by about three after five years. Moreover, there is no significant penalty for the most frequent self-citers - the effect of self-citation remains positive even for very high rates of self-citation. These results carry important policy implications for the use of citations to evaluate performance and distribute resources in science and they represent new information on the role and impact of self-citations in scientific communication.

Keywords: Affect, Citations, Communication, Impact, Incentives, Indicators, Information, Models, Performance, Policy, Policy Implications, Research, Role, Science, Science Citation Index, Scientific Communication, Sources, Visibility

? Lewison, G. (2007), The reporting of the risks from genetically modified organisms in the mass media, 2002-2004. Scientometrics, 72 (3), 439-458.

Full Text: 2007\Scientometrics72, 439.pdf

Abstract: This paper describes an analysis of coverage of the risks from agricultural and food genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) from April 2002 to April 2004 in 14 news media from six countries (Canada, France, Germany, Spain, the UK and the USA) which was conducted as part of a review for the European Commission of the management of risk communication. A total of 597 relevant news articles were found and coded for their presentational tone, the types of risk (environmental, financial, health and political, in that order), the organisms described (mainly maize, rape and beet crops), and the documents, people and organisations cited. UK news media tended to be the most ‘scary’ and Spanish ones the most ‘robust’. Articles quoting public perceptions, non-governmental environmental organisations and politicians tended to emphasize the risks of GMOs, those quoting scientists tended to downplay the risks and describe their potential benefits. Some suggestions for possible action by the European Commission are put forward, such as the facilitation of contact between journalists and scientists, but it is recognized that for some newspapers, their editorial wish to campaign will inevitably over-ride their reporters’ wish to present the truth.

Keywords: Agricultural, Analysis, Biotechnology, Canada, Communication, Corn Pollen, Coverage, Environmental, European Commission, Food, France, Germany, Health, Maize, Management, Mass Media, Media, Modified, Modified Foods, News, Opinion, Order, Organisms, Paper, Perceptions, Reporting, Review, Risk, Risk Communication, Risks, Spain, UK, US, USA

? Buehring, G.C., Buehring, J.E. and Gerardc, P.D. (2007), Lost in citation: Vanishing visibility of senior authors. Scientometrics, 72 (3), 459-468.

Full Text: 2007\Scientometrics72, 459.pdf

Abstract: The senior author is usually last on the byline of scientific publications, yet generally has made the second most important contribution. The explosion in author number per scientific paper, has necessitated limits on the number of authors allowed in cited references, frequently resulting in senior author truncation. Would potential visibility gained from citations in top-tier journals be offset by senior author omission? We found evidence for this in a sample of 208 journals, showing significant associations between author limits in cited references and various measures of journal quality. These associations, however, differed among biological science, physical science, and interdisciplinary journals.

Keywords: Citation, Citations, Interdisciplinary, Journal, Journals, Made, Order, Paper, Patterns, Physical, Publications, Quality, Science, Scientific Publications, Visibility

? Hellsten, I., Lambiotte, R., Scharnhorst, A. and Ausloos, M. (2007), Self-citations, co-authorships and keywords: A new approach to scientists’ field mobility? Scientometrics, 72 (3), 469-486.

Full Text: 2007\Scientometrics72, 469.pdf

Abstract: This paper introduces a new approach to detecting scientists’ field mobility by focusing on an author’s self-citation network, and the co-authorships and keywords in self-citing articles. Contrary to much previous literature on self-citations, we will show that author’s self-citation patterns reveal important information on the development and emergence of new research topics over time. More specifically, we will discuss self-citations as a means to detect scientists’ field mobility. We introduce a network based definition of field mobility, using the Optimal Percolation Method (Lambiotte & Ausloos, 2005, 2006). The results of the study can be extended to selfcitation networks of groups of authors and, generally also for other types of networks.

Keywords: Academic Disciplines, Communication, Cumulative Advantages, Development, Emergence, Evolution, Groups, Information, Literatures, Mobility, Networks, Paper, Patterns, Physicists, Research, Science, Specialties, Time

? Prpic, K. (2007), Changes of scientific knowledge production and research productivity in a transitional society. Scientometrics, 72 (3), 487-511.

Full Text: 2007\Scientometrics72, 487.pdf

Abstract: The main objective of this paper is to provide an empirical insight into the changes in the basic characteristics of the knowledge production mode and of scientific productivity in the Croatian research system in the transitional period. Empirical analysis is based on the results of two comparable questionnaire studies. The first survey was conducted in 1990 and the sample covered 921 respondents, while the second survey was conducted in 2004 with a sample of 915 respondents. The central characteristics of the knowledge production mode and of productivity confirm an expected duality: the features that accompany the introduction of a competitive system of research funding and evaluation on the one hand, and the anachronistic and newly acquired peculiarity of the research system on the other. Thus, the gap between the improved scientific performance of the researchers and the conditions in which they work has deepened. Scientific productivity still lags behind the productivity of the (developed) countries. Though Croatian researchers publish less, they follow basic global trends in the structure of publications, especially the rise in foreign and co-authored works.

Keywords: Academy, Analysis, Characteristics, Croatia, Determinants, Duality, Eastern-Europe, Evaluation, Faculty, Features, Funding, Global, Hand, Knowledge, Paper, Performance, Production, Productivity, Publication Productivity, Publications, Questionnaire, Research, Research Funding, Research Productivity, Research Systems, Russia, Science, Scientific Productivity, Society, Structure, Survey, Transformation, Trends

? Kostoff, R.N. (2007), The difference between highly and poorly cited medical articles in the journal Lancet. Scientometrics, 72 (3), 513-520.

Full Text: 2007\Scientometrics72, 513.pdf

Abstract: Characteristics of highly and poorly cited research articles (with Abstracts) published in The Lancet over a three-year period were examined. These characteristics included numerical (numbers of authors, references, citations, Abstract words, journal pages), organizational (first author country, institution type, institution name), and medical (medical condition, study approach, study type, sample size, study outcome). Compared to the least cited articles, the most cited have three to five times the median number of authors per article, fifty to six hundred percent greater median number of references per article, 110 to 490 times the median number of citations per article, 2.5 to almost seven times the median number of Abstract words per article, and 2.5 to 3.5 times the median number of pages per article. The most cited articles’ medical themes emphasize breast cancer, diabetes, coronary circulation, and HIV immune system problems, focusing on large-scale clinical trials of drugs. The least cited articles’ themes essentially do not address the above medical issues, especially from a clinical trials perspective, cover a much broader range of topics, and have much more emphasis on social and reproductive health issues. Finally, for sample sizes of clinical trials specifically, those of the most cited articles ranged from a median of about 1500 to 2500, whereas those of the least cited articles ranged from 30 to 40.

Keywords: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Characteristics, Citation, Citations, Clinical, Clinical Trials, Clinical-Research, Condition, Diabetes, Drugs, Health, HIV, Impact, Institution, Journal, Medical, Numerical, Organizational, Outcome, Publication Bias, Quality, Range, Reproductive, Research, Research Articles, Size, Social

? Chiu, W.T. and Ho, Y.S. (2007), Bibliometric analysis of tsunami research. Scientometrics, 73 (1), 3-17.

Full Text: 2007\Scientometrics73, 3.pdf, 2007\Scientometrics73, 3-O.pdf

Abstract: The use of the bibilometric analytical technique for examining tsunami research does not exist in the literature. The objective of the study was to perform a bibliometric analysis of all tsunami-related publications in the Science Citation Index (SCI). Analyzed parameters included document type, language of publication, publication output, authorship, publication patterns, distribution of subject category, distribution of author keywords, country of publication, most-frequently cited article, and document distribution after the Indonesia tsunami. The US and Japan produced 53% of the total output where the seven major industrial countries accounted for the majority of the total production. English was the dominant language, comprising 95% of articles. A simulation model was applied to describe the relationship between the number of authors and the number of articles, the number of journals and the number of articles, and the percentage of total articles and the number of times a certain keyword was used. Moreover the tsunami publication patterns in the first 8 months after the Indonesia tsunami occurred on 26 December 2004 indicated a high percentage of non-article publications and more documents being published in journals with higher impact factors.

Keywords: Analysis, Authors, Authorship, Bibliometric, Bibliometric Analysis, Citation, Country, Distribution, Factors, First, Impact, Impact Factors, Indonesia, Japan, Journals, Language, Literature, Majority, Model, Objective, Production, Publication, Publications, Relationship, Research, SCI, Science, Science Citation Index, Simulation, Simulation Model, Technique, US

? Burrell, Q.L. (2007), Hirsch index or Hirsch rate? Some thoughts arising from Liang’s data. Scientometrics, 73 (1), 19-28.

Full Text: 2007\Scientometrics73, 19.pdf

Abstract: Hirsch’s h- index gives a single number that in some sense summarizes an author’s research output and its impact. Since an individual author’s h-index will be time-dependent, we propose instead the h- rate which, according to theory, is (almost) constant. We re-analyse a previously published data set (LIANG, 2006) which, although not of the precise form to properly test our model, reveals that in many cases we do not have a constant h- rate. On the other hand this then suggests ways in which deeper scientometric investigations could be carried out. This work should be viewed as complementary to that of LIANG (2006).

Keywords: Complementary, h Index, h-Index, Hirsch, Hirsch Index, Impact, Investigations, Model, Research, Scientometric, Theory, Time-Dependent, Work

? Daizadeh, I. (2007), Issued US patents, patent-related global academic and media publications, and the US market indices are inter-correlated, with varying growth patterns. Scientometrics, 73 (1), 29-36.

Full Text: 2007\Scientometrics73, 29.pdf

Abstract: The increase in patents is a main driving force for discussions of international competitiveness, knowledge spillovers, patent office efficiencies, and others. However, to the author’s knowledge, it is interesting that no work has investigated the impact of the growth in the number of patents on patent-related scholarly (peer-reviewed) and media (e.g., press release) literatures, or evidence of inter-relatedness among these three literatures with those of the US market indices (viz., Dow, S&P500, NASDAQ). Here, I report that the growth in the number of US issued patents, the patent-related media and peer-reviewed publications, and these indices are statistically correlated, but with drastically different growth rates. This general result affords data supporting a hypothesis that publicly traded companies, as drivers of innovation, are priming a new research area within the scholarly communities and simultaneously affecting market value through, what-may-be-called, ‘patent journalism.’.

Keywords: Academic, Biotechnology, Communities, Driving, General, Global, Growth, Growth Rates, Impact, Indicators, Innovation, Knowledge, Media, Patents, Publications, Release, Research, Statistics, US, Value

? Pereira, J.C.R., Vasconcellos, J.P., Furusawa, L. and Barbati, A.D. (2007), Who’s who and what’s what in Brazilian Public Health Sciences. Scientometrics, 73 (1), 37-52.

Full Text: 2007\Scientometrics73, 37.pdf

Abstract: Introduction: The present study endeavours to provide information on what are the research interests of Brazilian Public Health and how authors can be ranked. Methods: Post-graduate faculty members ISI data are analysed according to regions. Number of paper and its citations, papers’ type-complexity-cooperation, Bradford’s Law, Shannon’s indexes, time dynamic functions, Lotka’s Law, and ranking functions are examined. Results: Current production was built up in the last 30 years at a rate of 9.6% articles/year and 12.6% citations/year. 66% of potential authors were present in ISI data records, 64% achieved at least one citation. Research fields do not much depart from the traditional PH purview. More than 66% of authors have just one paper and decrease is steep. Subtle differences call attention to the South region. Conclusion: Brazilian PH is mainly committed to classical research fields and ranking among authors is narrow.

Keywords: Attention, Citation, Citations, Communication, Dynamic, Faculty, Information, ISI, Mathematical-Theory, Paper, pH, Potential, Production, Ranking, Rate, Research, Time

? De Moya-Anegon, F., Chinchilla-Rodriguez, Z., Vargas-Quesada, B., Corera-Alvarez, E., Munoz-Fernandez, F.J., Gonzalez-Molina, A. and Herrero-Solana, V. (2007), Coverage analysis of Scopus: A journal metric approach. Scientometrics, 73 (1), 53-78.

Full Text: 2007\Scientometrics73, 53.pdf

Abstract: Our aim is to compare the coverage of the Scopus database with that of Ulrich, to determine just how homogenous it is in the academic world. The variables taken into account were subject distribution, geographical distribution, distribution by publishers and the language of publication. The analysis of the coverage of a product of this nature should be done in relation to an accepted model, the optimal choice being Ulrich’s Directory, considered the international point of reference for the most comprehensive information on journals published throughout the world. The results described here allow us to draw a profile of Scopus in terms of its coverage by areas - geographic and thematic - and the significance of peer-review in its publications. Both these aspects are highly pragmatic considerations for information retrieval, the evaluation of research, and the design of policies for the use of scientific databases in scientific promotion.

Keywords: Academic, Analysis, Database, Databases, Design, Distribution, Evaluation, Information, Information Retrieval, Journal, Journals, Language, Model, Peer Review, Peer-Review, Profile, Promotion, Publication, Publications, Reference, Research

? Krauss, J. (2007), Journal self-citation rates in ecological sciences. Scientometrics, 73 (1), 79-89.

Full Text: 2007\Scientometrics73, 79.pdf

Abstract: Impact factors are a widely accepted means for the assessment of journal quality. However, journal editors have possibilities to influence the impact factor of their journals, for example, by requesting authors to cite additional papers published recently in that journal thus increasing the self-citation rate. I calculated self-citation rates of journals ranked in the Journal Citation Reports of ISI in the subject category ‘Ecology’ (n = 107). On average, self citation was responsible for 16.2±1.3% (mean±SE) of the impact factor in 2004. The self-citation rates decrease with increasing journal impact, but even high impact journals show large variation. Six journals suspected to request for additional citations showed high self-citation rates, which increased over the last seven years. To avoid further deliberate increases in self-citation rates, I suggest to take journal-specific self-citation rates into account for journal rankings.

Keywords: Assessment, Citation, Citations, Editors, Impact, Impact Factor, ISI, Journal, Journal Citation Reports, Journals, Quality, Rankings, Rate, Sciences, Scientific Journals

? Csajbok, E., Berhidi, A., Vasas, L. and Schubert, A. (2007), Hirsch-index for countries based on essential science indicators data. Scientometrics, 73 (1), 91-117.

Full Text: 2007\Scientometrics73, 91.pdf

Abstract: The authors present ranked lists of world’s countries - with main focus on EU countries (together with newly acceeded and candidate countries) - by their h-index on various science fields. As main source of data Thomson Scientific’s Essential Science Indicators (ESI) database was used. EU countries have strong positions in each field but none of them can successfully compete with the USA. The modest position of the newly accessed and candidate countries illustrate the importance of supportive economic and political background in order to achieve scientific success. An attempt is made to fit a recent theoretical model relating the h-index with two traditional scientometric indicators: the number of publications and the mean citation rate.

Keywords: Citation, Database, EU, h Index, h-Index, Hirsch Index, Indicators, Model, Publications, Science, Science Indicators, Scientometric, USA

? Jacob, J.H., Lehrl, S. and Henkel, A.W. (2007), Early recognition of high quality researchers of the German psychiatry by worldwide accessible bibliometric indicators. Scientometrics, 73 (2), 117-130.

Full Text: 2007\Scientometrics73, 117.pdf

Abstract: Background: Publication and citation rates mark the research activity and research quality of scientists. Question: Are bibliometric indicators valid instruments for early recognition of high quality researchers? Subjects and methods: The number of publications and citations of 26 assistant, associate and full professors of German psychiatry born after 1947 was analysed in their 30(th) and 31(st) year of age and between 1996 and 2000. Results: 58% of the selected 30 or 31 year old scientists had at least one publication in a journal with an impact factor, 93% of these as first or single author. 42% in this age group were at least cited once. Publication and citation rates in the early stage of a career provide hints on the later bibliometric data and the academic degree of scientists. Conclusion: High quality researchers can be recognised early in their careers by means of worldwide accessible bibliometric indicators.

Keywords: Academic, Activity, Age, Bibliometric, Bibliometric Indicators, Citation, Citation Indexes, Citations, Group, Impact, Impact Factor, Indicators, Journal, Methods, Psychiatry, Publication, Publications, Quality, Recognition, Research, Research Quality, Scientific Performance

? Diamond, Jr., A.M. and Toth, R.J. (2007), The determinants of election to the Presidency of the American Economic Association: Evidence from a cohort of distinguished 1950’s economists. Scientometrics, 73 (2), 131-137.

Full Text: 2007\Scientometrics73, 131.pdf

Abstract: Data have been collected on 55 members of the AEA Executive Committees for the years 1950-1960 (inclusive) on a variety of variables that measure the merit and non-merit characteristics of the economists. A logit is estimated in which the dependent variable is a dummy variable for whether an Executive Committee member was ever elected President of the American Economic Association (AEA). The number of publications and citations are important determinants of election. Receiving a PhD from one of the top three schools does not help and living in the South does not hurt. Economists who were older in 1956 were more likely to have eventually been elected to the AEA Presidency.

Keywords: Characteristics, Citations, Cohort, Older, Publications, Schools, Science

? Bornmann, L., Mutz, R. and Daniel, H.D. (2007), Row-column (RC) association model applied to grant peer review. Scientometrics, 73 (2), 139-147.

Full Text: 2007\Scientometrics73, 139.pdf

Abstract: In a recently published article, HARGENS & FIERTING (2006) apply the row-column (RC) association model to peer review to analyze the association between two referees’ recommendations and an editor’s decision at two scholarly journals. In the present study we analyze 1,954 applications to the Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds (B.I.F.) for doctoral and post-doctoral fellowships, which the B.I.F. evaluates in three stages (first stage: evaluation by an external reviewer, second stage: evaluation by an internal reviewer (staff member), third stage: final decision by the B.I.F. Board of Trustees). Using the RC association model, we show - in accordance with the results of HARGENS & HERTING (2006) - that a single latent dimension is sufficient to account for the association between (internal and external) reviewers’ recommendations and the fellowship award decision by the Board. This result indicates that the latent dimension underlying reviewers’ recommendations and the Board’s decisions reflects the merit of an application being evaluated. While the statistical analyses establish that overall, favorable evaluations by the reviewers correspond with favorable decisions by the Board (and vice versa), the ordering of the scale values yielded by the estimation of the RC association model also shows that internal reviewers’ recommendations have a greater influence on the Board’s decisions than recommendations by external reviewers.

Keywords: Application, Applications, Assessments, Committee, Decisions, Estimation, Evaluation, Fellowship, Internal, Journals, Model, Peer Review, Peer-Review, Recommendations, Reliability, Review, Scale, Selection, Vice

? Senthilkumaran, P. and Amudhavalli, A. (2007), Mapping of spices research in Asian countries. Scientometrics,