Title: South African Journal of Science

Title: South African Journal of Science

ISO Abbreviated Title: S. Afr. J. Sci.

JCR Abbreviated Title: S Afr J Sci

ISSN: 0038-2353

Issues/Year: 11

Journal Country/Territory: South Africa

Language: Multi-Language

Publisher: Bureau Scientific Publ

Publisher Address: PO Box 1758, Pretoria 0001, South Africa

Subject Categories:

Multidisciplinary Sciences: Impact Factor 0.670, 22/50 (2007), Impact Factor 0.506, 29/50 (2007), Impact Factor 0.596, 25/57 (2010)

? Pouris, A. (1986), The South African Journal of Science: A bibliometric evaluation. South African Journal of Science, 82 (8), 401-402.

Full Text: 1986\Sou Afr J Sci82, 401.pdf

Keywords: Bibliometric, Evaluation

? Pouris, A. (1989), Strengths and weaknesses of South African Science. South African Journal of Science, 85 (10), 623-626.

Full Text: 1989\Sou Afr J Sci85, 623.pdf

Abstract: The relative strengths of 108 scientific specialities in South Africa have been identified for the period 1981-1985, on the basis of bibliometric and citation analysis. Five subject areas are found to be among the top ten in the world: ornithology (4th), water resources (5th), general and internal medicine (7th), ecology (8th), and zoology (10th). We argue that the natural environment and mining have influenced the direction of science in South Africa. These findings have implications for science policy in the country.

? Pouris, A. (1996), The writing on the wall of South African science: A scientometric assessment. South African Journal of Science, 92 (6), 267-271.

Full Text: 1996\Sou Afr J Sci92, 267.pdf

Abstract: This article reports on an investigation of the health of academic science in South Africa in terms of papers published over the period 1981-1994. It is suggested that national scientific performance should be assessed as interim results of ‘marathon races and that mapping in the matrix Publication Ratio -Relative Citation Index can provide useful insights into disciplinary priorities and their trends, particularly for countries with pluralistic scientific systems. We argue that it is an unfortunate irony that South Africa was relatively strong in science at a time when this activity was less crucial than it is today in determining economic performance and international competitiveness. In the 1990s, South African science is losing ground when the winning economies and industries are becoming increasingly science intensive.

The disciplinary mapping of South African science confirms our previous findings that the country’s natural wealth still determines national research priorities. We further suggest that national funding policies have strengthened the traditionally most active disciplines and that the country would need innovative new mechanisms in order to redirect the scientific system.

Keywords: Africa, Assessment, Country, Economic, Funding, Health, International, Investigation, Mapping, Matrix, Mechanisms, Papers, Performance, Policies, Research, Research Priorities, Science, Scientific Performance, Scientometric, South Africa, Systems, Trends, Wealth

? de Villiers, M.M. and Malan, S.F. (1997), Publish or perish: How is pharmacy research coping in a changing South Africa? South African Journal of Science, 93 (8), 355-358.

Full Text: 1997\Sou Afr J Sci93, 355.pdf

Abstract: Taking into account the needs of a changed South Africa, this study was conducted to evaluate the activity, of pharmacy research in the country. Research output from academic institutions in South Africa was compared to the rest of Africa, the United States, Australia and Europe. This was done by surveying research outputs as cited in two scientific databases, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts and the Science Citation Index. The attitude towards research at a major faculty of pharmacy in South Africa was also tested using an adapted Motivated Strategies of learning Questionnaire. Research in pharmacy disciplines in South Africa was found to be strong, and has been so since 1970, if one considers the size of the country and the numbers involved in research. A trend seen world-wide over the last five years is for pharmacy research to become orientated more towards problem solving especially in collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry In South Africa, two of the smaller pharmacy schools seem to have adapted better to this strategy. This led to a marked increase in their research output.

Keywords: Africa, Attitude, Citation, Collaboration, Databases, Europe, Learning, Research, Research Output, Schools, Science, Science Citation Index, South Africa, Strategy, Trend

? Lotter, L. (1998), Responsible Care: A key element in the chemical industry’s approach to sustainable development. South African Journal of Science, 94 (9), 414-418.

Full Text: 1998\Sou Afr J Sci94, 414.pdf

Abstract: The concept of sustainable development is being adopted by an increasing number of international business associations in recognition of the necessity to transform the way business is done in relation to the environment. The Responsible Care initiative is the chemical industry’s chosen vehicle for improving health, safety and environmental performance. The initiative has been adopted by 41 countries and committed companies account for 85% of the global manufacture of chemicals. The initiative is described in terms of its responsero the requirements of sustainable development.

? Jeenah, M. and Pouris, A. (2008), South African research in the context of Africa and globally. South African Journal of Science, 104 (9-10), 351-354.

Full Text: 2008\Sou Afr J Sci104, 351.pdf

Abstract: The quality and quantity of research publications are used as benchmarks to monitor the performance of South Africa’s national system of innovation. The indicators are pertinent to the policies of the department of education, which distributes funds for research at institutions of higher education by measuring the volume of research outputs. In this article, we present a scientometric assessment of research in South Africa in the context of the rest of Africa and in comparison with Brazil and India-two countries with which South Africa aims to develop strong scientific ties. We find that South Africa has published a significant number of papers in all 22 disciplines represented in the isi’s essential science indicators. The largest numbers of journal articles in a 10-year period (1996-2005) Were published in the categories clinical medicine, and in plant and animal sciences, with over 7000 papers each. Three groupings, namely, chemistry, geosciences, and environmental, ecology, form the second cluster of disciplines in terms of the highest number of publications (2966, 2488 And 2386, respectively). In all 22 subject categories, India and Brazil are rated higher than South Africa in terms of number of publications, but South Africa is ranked above these countries in relation to citations per paper in all disciplines. Egypt outranked South Africa in three disciplines in the period 1995-2004, namely, chemistry, engineering, and materials science, as did Nigeria in agriculture in 1996-2005. In addition to the three disciplines in the earlier period, Egypt outranked South Africa in 1996-2005 in physics, agricultural sciences, and pharmacology, toxicology. However, South Africa scored higher than both African countries in all disciplines in terms of citations per paper.

Keywords: Africa, African, Agricultural, Agricultural Sciences, Agriculture, Assessment, Chemistry, Citations, Clinical, Cluster, Comparison, Context, Education, Egypt, Engineering, Geosciences, Higher Education, Indicators, Innovation, Institutions, Journal, Journal Articles, Medicine, National, Papers, Performance, Plant, Policies, Publications, Quality, Research, Research Publications, Science, Science Indicators, Sciences, Scientometric, Sector, Volume

? Johnson, S.D. (2009), Darwin’s legacy in South African evolutionary biology. South African Journal of Science, 105 (11-12), 403-409.

Full Text: 2009\Sou Afr J Sci105, 403.pdf

Abstract: In the two decades after publication of the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin facilitated the publication of numerous scientific papers by settler naturalists in South Africa. This helped to establish the strong tradition of natural history which has characterised evolutionary research in South African museums, herbaria and universities. Significant developments in the early 20th century included the hominid fossil discoveries of Raymond Dart, Robert Broom, and others, but there was otherwise very little South African involvement in the evolutionary synthesis of the 1930s and 1940s. Evolutionary biology developed into a distinct discipline in South Africa during the 1970s and 1980s when it was dominated by mammalian palaeontology and a vigorous debate around species concepts. In the post-apartheid era, the main focus of evolutionary biology has been the construction of phylogenies for African plants and animals using molecular data, and the use of these phylogenies to answer questions about taxonomic classification and trait evolution. South African biologists have also recently contributed important evidence for some of Darwin’s ideas about plant-animal coevolution, sexual selection, and the role of natural selection In speciation. A bibliographic analysis shows that South African authors produce 2-3% of the world’s publications in the field of evolutionary biology, which Is much higher than the value of about 0.5% for publications in all sciences. With its extraordinary biodiversity and well-developed research infrastructure, South Africa is an ideal laboratory from which to advance evolutionary research.

Keywords: Adaptation, Basal Metabolic-Rate, Bibliometrics, Biodiversity Hotspot, Cape Flora, Classification, Ecology, Fire, Plants, Pollination, Publication, Publications, Radiation, Research, Research Trends, Sexual Selection, South Africa, Speciation, Speciation, Species, Species Concepts, Universities

? Sooryamoorthy, R. (2010), The internationalisation of South African medical research, 1975-2005. South African Journal of Science, 106 (7-8), 19-25.

Full Text: 2010\Sou Afr J Sci106, 19.pdf

Abstract: South Africa’s record in the production of scientific knowledge in medicine is remarkable, but attempts have yet to be made to examine its distinctive characteristics. This is critical to the understanding of its nature, trends and the directions which it is taking today. Using the publication records extracted from the Science Citation Index (SCI) of the ISI Web of Science for a 3-decade period from 1975 to 2005, with 5-year windows, I have examined the salient characteristics of medical research in South Africa in terms of, (1) the number of publications, (2) type of publications (sole/co-authored), (3) collaboration (domestic/international), (4) affiliation sector of authors and collaborators, (5) regional origin of collaborators, (6) publication outlets and (7) citations, in comparison with ‘all subjects’ covered in the database concerned. This analysis shows that the contribution of medical publications to the total output of South African scholars is shrinking (25% in 1980 to 8% in 2000). Papers produced in collaboration are growing in number (increased by 17% during 1975-2005). While domestic collaboration declined by 24%, international collaboration grew from 4% of total papers in 1975 to 48% in 2005. South African medical researchers now publish more in foreign-originated journals (from 20% in 1975 to 75% in 2005) than in local journals and work mostly in universities, hospitals and research institutes, they collaborate with overseas partners from as many as 56 countries. Significantly, collaboration with Western European partners has increased 45-fold from 1975-2005. This study showed that a marked degree of internationalisation (measured in terms of international collaboration, publications in foreign journals and the number of citations) of South African medical research is taking place and that this trend is likely to continue in the future.

Keywords: Citation, Citations, Collaboration, Contribution, Domestic Collaboration, Impact, Indicators, International Collaboration, Internationalisation, ISI, Journals, Medical Research, Medicine, Nations, Production, Publication, Publications, Research, Researchers, SCI, Science, Science Citation Index, Trend

? Kahn, M. (2011), A bibliometric analysis of South Africa’s scientific outputs - some trends and implications. South African Journal of Science, 107 (1-2), 27-32.

Full Text: 2011\Sou Afr J Sci107, 27.pdf

Abstract: The paper examines the change in volume of South African publications as indexed to the Web of Science over the periods 1990-1994 and 2004-2008. It was noted that publication volumes have increased sharply even while the stock of researchers has remained static. A number of factors may account for the rise including the increase in the Department of Education publication subsidy, the increase in the number of South African journals indexed to the Web of Science and a shift in focus to fields with higher publication propensity. For example, it was noted that a new growth area has emerged in the field of infectious diseases. The publication count by author institution showed that collaboration with foreign authors has increased considerably across the two periods and it is suggested that it is this factor that best accounts for the rise in volume. The concentration by subject area permitted some judgement to be made regarding the prospects for the five grand challenges of the Ten Year Innovation Plan. Lastly, it was noted that if it is collaboration that is driving the volume increase, the system is vulnerable to offshore changes.

Keywords: Analysis, Authors, Bibliometric, Bibliometric Analysis, Changes, Collaboration, Concentration, Diseases, Driving, Field, Growth, Infectious Diseases, Journals, Publication, Publications, Science, Trends, Volume, Web of Science

? Chuang, K.Y., Chuang, Y.C., Ho, M. and Ho, Y.S. (2011), Bibliometric analysis of public health research in Africa: The overall trend and regional comparisons. South African Journal of Science, 107 (5/6), 54-59.

Full Text: 2011\Sou Afr J Sci107, 1.pdf, 2011\Sou Afr J Sci-Chuang.pdf

Abstract: Background: Many diseases in Africa can be prevented with appropriate public health interventions. Methods: This study aimed to assess the bibliometric characteristics of public health related research articles published by researchers in African institutions from 1991 to 2005. Data used in this research were obtained from the online version of the ISI Web of Science: SCI-Expanded (Science Citation Index Expanded). Articles published between 1991 and 2005, that had the phrase ‘public health’ in the title, author keywords, or abstract, and have at least one author whose contact address was from an African country were selected for analysis. Results: The annual number of public health related articles published by African researchers significantly increased over the studied period. It increased from 28 articles in 1991 to 135 articles in 2005, a 382% increase. International collaboration also increased from 45% during 1991-1995, to 52% during1996-2000, and to 67% during 2001-2005. Collaborations were mostly with European and North American countries. Keywords, subject categories, and collaboration patterns of articles varied across regions, reflecting differences in needs and collaboration networks. Conclusions: Public health related research output, as well as international collaborations, have been increasing in Africa. Regional variation observed in this study may assist policy makers to facilitate the advancement of public health research in different regions of Africa, and could be useful for international organizations in identifying needs and to allocate research funding. Future bibliometric analyses of articles published by African researchers, can consider conducting regional comparisons using standardized methods, as well as describing the overall patterns, in order to provide a more-comprehensive view of their bibliometric characteristics.

Keywords: African, Public Health, SCI, Scientometrics, Research Trend