Personal Research Database

Full Text: 2006\Scientometrics68, 611.pdf

Abstract: Based on the findings from earlier studies which showed that links to business Websites contain useful business information, we examined the feasibility of using Web co-link data to compare business competitive positions. We hypothesized that the number of co-links to a pair of business Websites is a measure of the similarity between the two companies. Since similar or related businesses are competing businesses, the co-link data can be used to map business competitive positions. We selected 32 telecommunications companies for the study and collected co-link data to these companies from Yahoo!. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis on the co-link data correctly mapped these companies into telecommunications industry sectors. This proved our hypothesis and further confirmed the theory that links to business Websites can be objects for Web data mining. We collected data in a way that would reflect two markets, the global market and the Chinese market. Results from the two data sets revealed the competitive positions of the companies in the two markets. We propose that regular data collection and analysis based on this method can be used to monitor the business competitive environment and trigger early warnings on the change of the competitive landscape.

Keywords: Analysis, Chinese, Citation, Competition, Data Collection, Environment, Global, Impact Factors, Information, Landscape, Method, Mining, Scaling, Sites, Theory

? Vinkler, P. (2006), Composite scientometric indicators for evaluating publications of research institutes. Scientometrics, 68 (3), 629-642.

Full Text: 2006\Scientometrics68, 629.pdf

Abstract: Both quantitative and qualitative evaluation of publications of research teams or institutes requires several scientometric indicators. In this paper a new composite indicator is introduced for the assessment of publications of research institutes working in different fields of science. The composite indicator consists of three part-indicators (Journal Paper Productivity, Relative Publication Strategy and Relative Paper Citedness). The different methods of calculating the composite index have only a slight effect on the value, whereas application of diverse weights for the individual part-indicators results in significant changes.

Keywords: Assessment, Chemistry, Evaluation, Impact, Indicator, Indicators, Performance, Physics, Qualitative, Research

? Yoshikane, F., Nozawa, T. and Tsuji, K. (2006), Comparative analysis of co-authorship networks considering authors’ roles in collaboration: Differences between the theoretical and application areas. Scientometrics, 68 (3), 643-655.

Full Text: 2006\Scientometrics68, 643.pdf

Abstract: Many studies have analyzed ‘direct’ partnerships in co-authorship networks. On the other hand, the global network structure, including ‘indirect’ links between researchers, has not yet been sufficiently studied. This study analyzes researchers’ activities from the viewpoints considering their roles in the global structures of co-authorship networks, and compares the co-authorship networks between the theoretical and application areas in computer science. The modified HITS algorithm is used to calculate the two types of importance of researchers in co-authorship networks, i.e., the importance as the leader and that as the follower.

Keywords: Algorithm, Analysis, Coauthorship Networks, Collaboration, Computer, Global, Invisible-Colleges, Issues, Journal Literature, Network, Patterns, Psychology, Science

? Callaert, J., Van Looy, B., Verbeek, A., Debackere, K. and Thijs, B. (2006), Traces of Prior Art: An analysis of non-patent references found in patent documents. Scientometrics, 69 (1), 3-20.

Full Text: 2006\Scientometrics69, 3.pdf

Abstract: The recent developments towards more systemic conceptualizations of innovation dynamics and related policies highlight the need for indicators that mirror the dynamics involved. In this contribution, we assess the role that ‘non-patent references’, found in patent documents, can play in this respect. After examining the occurrence of these references in the USPTO and EPO patent systems, their precise nature is delineated by means of a content analysis of two samples of nonpatent references (n=10,000). Our findings reveal that citations in patents allow developing nontrivial and robust indicators. The majority of all non-patent references are journal references, which provide ample possibilities for large-scale analyses focusing on the extent to which technological developments are situated within the vicinity of scientific knowledge. Application areas, limitations and directions for future research are discussed.

Keywords: Academic Inventors, Analysis, Citation Analysis, Dynamics, Exploration, Indicators, Innovation, Knowledge, Limitations, Public Science, Recent, Research, Science-Technology Interactions, Statistics, Systems, Triple-Helix

? Lukenda, J. (2006), Influence of the 1991-1995 war on Croatian publications in the MEDLINE database. Scientometrics, 69 (1), 21-36.

Full Text: 2006\Scientometrics69, 21.pdf

Abstract: Aim: to identify the influence of the 1991-1995 war on Croatian biomedical publications with reference to the Croatian universities and medical centers in Zagreb, Split, Rijeka and Osijek and their regions. Methods: Internet provider PubMed was used to search MEDLINE database in the pre-war (1988-1990), war (1991-1995) and post-war (1996-2000) periods. Annual numbers of publications in the MEDLINE and Core Clinical Journals (Abridged Index Medicus, AIM-journals) were calculated for each center in the above mentioned periods. Our analysis included socio-economic indicators such as gross domestic product (GDP) and total employment, human resources such as the number of full-time researchers, teachers and researchers in biomedical sciences, university graduates, master and doctoral thesis. Descriptive statistics and t-test were used. Results: In the 1988-2000 period the proportion of Croatian publications in the MEDLINE database was 0.076%. The proportion of AIM-publication in the MEDLINE was 11.5%, while the proportion of Croatian AIM-publications in Croatian publications in the MEDLINE was only 0.02%. Compared to the pre-war period, Croatia increased the number of publications in the MEDLINE in the war period (p < 0.05) and post-war period (p < 0.01). In the war period GDP and other socio-economic indicators decreased in contrast to an increase in biomedical publications. All centers increased the number of MEDLINE publications significantly in the war and post-war periods (p < 0.01), while the growth of AIM-publications in Zagreb and Split was not significant. The proportion of biomedical publications in Zagreb decreased in the war and post-war periods while it was almost doubled in the other centers. Croatia increased its biomedical publication rates (per 100,000 inhabitants per year) from 3.8 (the pre-war period) to 6.6 (the war period) and 9.0 (the post-war period). In those periods biomedical publication rates were also increased in all centers with belonging regions, in spite of the war. A small number of teachers and researchers in biomedical sciences in Split and Osijek produced more publications per person in the war period than a larger number of their colleagues in other two centers. Conclusion: Croatia and its centers, Zagreb, Split, Rijeka and Osijek increased biomedical publication rates despite enormous destruction and human losses caused by the war. Despite a significant increase in the quantity of Croatian publications in the MEDLINE database, the number of AIM-publications increased only slightly.

Keywords: Analysis, Biomedical Publications, Countries, Employment, European-Union, Geography, Growth, Human, Indicators, Internet, Journals, Medical, Output, Science, Socio-Economic Indicators, Socioeconomic, Statistics, University, War

? Campanario, J.M., González, L. and Rodríguez, C. (2006), Structure of the impact factor of academic journals in the field of Education and Educational Psychology: Citations from editorial board members. Scientometrics, 69 (1), 37-56.

Full Text: 2006\Scientometrics69, 37.pdf

Abstract: We present a new approach to study the structure of the impact factor of academic journals. This new method is based on calculation of the fraction of citations that contribute to the impact factor of a given journal that come from citing documents in which at least one of the authors is a member of the cited journal’s editorial board. We studied the structure of three annual impact factors of 54 journals included in the groups ‘Education and Educational Research’ and ‘Psychology, Educational’ of the Social Sciences Citation Index. The percentage of citations from papers authored by editorial board members ranged from 0% to 61%. In 12 journals, for at least one of the years analysed, 50% or more of the citations that contributed to the impact factor were from documents published in the journal itself.

Given that editorial board members are considered to be among the most prestigious scientists, we suggest that citations from papers authored by editorial board members should be given particular consideration.

Keywords: Self-Citations, Bibliometric Analysis, Information-Science, Stands Today, Quality, Index, Proposal, Performance, Indicators, Institute

? Yoo, S.H. and Moon, H.S. (2006), A semi-parametric modeling of firms’ R&D expenditures with zero values. Scientometrics, 69 (1), 57-67.

Full Text: 2006\Scientometrics69, 57.pdf

Abstract: Modeling firms’ R&D expenditures often become complicated due to the zero values reported by a significant number of firms. The maximum likelihood (ML) estimation of the Tobit model, which is usually adopted in this case, however, is not robust to heteroscedastic and/or non-normal error structure. Thus, this paper attempts to apply symmetrically trimmed least squares estimation as a semi-parametric estimation of the Tobit model in order to model firms’ R&D expenditures with zero values. The result of specification test indicates the semi-parametric estimation outperforms the parametric ML estimation significantly.

Keywords: Econometrics, Limited Dependent-Variables, Maximum Likelihood, Misspecification, Model, Modeling, Specification, Values

? Medoff, M.H. (2006), The efficiency of self-citations in economics. Scientometrics, 69 (1), 69-84.

Full Text: 2006\Scientometrics69, 69.pdf

Abstract: Are prior self-citations an effective input in increasing a subsequent article’s citation count? Examination of 418 articles in eight economics journals found that, after controlling for article length, journal and author quality, lead article position, and coauthorship, an author’s prior stock of self-citations is not statistically related to a subsequent article’s total citation count or the quality of the journals in which those citations appear. Self-citations that appear in prestigious high-impact economics journals have a statistically positive, but numerically small, effect on a subsequent article’s total citation count and on the quality of the citing journal. The productive effect of a prior self-citation is inversely related to its age. Prior self-citations of the second author listed in a collaborative article have no significant effect on a subsequent article’s total citation count or the quality of the economics journals in which those citations appear.

Keywords: Age, Collaboration, Departments, Economics, Lead, Quality, Rankings, Trends

? Meng, W., Hu, Z.H. and Liu, W.B. (2006), Efficiency evaluation of basic research in China. Scientometrics, 69 (1), 85-101.

Full Text: 2006\Scientometrics69, 85.pdf

Abstract: Following the increasing investment on basic research in China, the outputs of basic research have been greatly enhanced. In this paper, the relative efficiency of investments in basic research is analyzed by adopting statistical regressions and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method. Preliminary results show that injected investment seems to be the main driving force for the increased basic research outputs in China. It is found that there were significant improvements on overall efficiency from 1991 to 1996, although this trend has noticeably slowed down since 1996. Possible causes of this slow-down are discussed.

Keywords: China, Data Envelopment Analysis, DEA, Evaluation, Impact, Management, Method, Performance, Relative Efficiency, Research, Science, Trend, Universities

? Calvino, A.M. (2006), Assessment of research performance in food science and technology: Publication behavior of five Iberian-American countries (1992-2003). Scientometrics, 69 (1), 103-116.

Full Text: 2006\Scientometrics69, 103.pdf

Abstract: This study is a follow-up to a published descriptive outline on the publications of Iberian-American (IA) countries in food science and technology field. The number of articles and citations attained by IA producers (Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Portugal and Spain) were examined on 48 journals indexed in Science Citation Index (SCI) database. The growth rate in publication between 1992 and 2003 depicted differences across journals, those with high impact factor were most preferred by IA authors. Different patterns of collaboration and frequency of citations were obtained. Spain and Argentina show the greatest counts of publications and citations but present the lowest percentages of collaboration with outside authors. Instead, three out of ten papers from Portugal, Mexico and Brazil are signed by at least one foreign author. The association of publication productivity to demographic and socio-economic indicators revealed that Spain and Portugal have the highest ratios of publications or citations by human resources followed by Argentina. Argentina showed the highest ratios of publications or citations by expenditure on science and technology activities.

Keywords: Argentina, Association, Behavior, Bibliometric Indicators, Brazil, Citation-Index, Collaboration, Descriptive, Expenditure, Follow-Up, Food, Growth, Growth Rate, Human, Impact, Impact Factors, Indicators, Journals, Mexico, Output, Performance, Portugal, Productivity, Ratios, Research, SCI, Scientific Production, Socio-Economic Indicators, Socioeconomic, Spain

? Saad, G. (2006), Exploring the h-index at the author and journal levels using bibliometric data of productive consumer scholars and business-related journals respectively. Scientometrics, 69 (1), 117-120.

Full Text: 2006\Scientometrics69, 117.pdf

Abstract: Using both author-level and journal-level data, Hirsch’s h-index is shown to possess substantial heuristic value in that it yields accurate results whilst requiring minimal informational acquisition effort. As expected, the h-index of productive consumer scholars correlated strongly with their total citation counts. Furthermore, the h-indices as obtained via ISI/Thompson and GoogleScholar were highly correlated albeit the latter yielded higher values. Finally, using a database of business-relevant journals, a significant correlation was found between the journals’ h-indices and their citation impact scores.

Keywords: Bibliometric, Citation, Citation Counts, Database, h Index, h-Index, Impact, Journal, Journals, Scientists, Value

? Egghe, L. and Rousseau, R. (2006), An informetric model for the Hirsch-index. Scientometrics, 69 (1), 121-129.

Full Text: 2006\Scientometrics69, 121.pdf

Abstract: The h-index (or Hirsch-index) was defined by Hirsch in 2005 as the number h such that, for a general group of papers, h papers received at least h citations while the other papers received no more than h citations. This definition is extended here to the general framework of Information Production Processes (IPPs), using a source-item terminology. It is further shown that in each practical situation an IPP always has a unique h-index. In Lotkaian systems h = T-1/alpha, where T is the total number of sources and alpha is the Lotka exponent. The relation between h and the total number of items is highlighted.

Keywords: Citations, Framework, General, h Index, h-Index, Hirsch, Hirsch Index, IPP, Lotka, Model, Papers, Ranking, Scientists, Terminology

? Egghe, L. (2006), Theory and practise of the g-index. Scientometrics, 69 (1), 131-152.

Full Text: 2006\Scientometrics69, 131.pdf

Abstract: The g-index is introduced as an improvement of the h-index of Hirsch to measure the global citation performance of a set of articles. If this set is ranked in decreasing order of the number of citations that they received, the g-index is the (unique) largest number such that the top g articles received (together) at least g(2) citations. We prove the unique existence of g for any set of articles and we have that g 3 h. The general Lotkaian theory of the g-index is presented and we show that g = (alpha-1/alpha-2)T-alpha-1/alpha(1/alpha) where alpha > 2 is the Lotkaian exponent and where T denotes the total number of sources. We then present the g-index of the (still active) Price medallists for their complete careers up to 1972 and compare it with the h-index. It is shown that the g-index inherits all the good properties of the h-index and, in addition, better takes into account the citation scores of the top articles. This yields a better distinction between and order of the scientists from the point of view of visibility.

Keywords: Careers, Citation, Citations, g Index, g-Index, General, h Index, h-Index, Hirsch, The Good, Theory, Visibility

? Liang, L.M. (2006), h-index sequence and h-index matrix: Constructions and applications. Scientometrics, 69 (1), 153-159.

Full Text: 2006\Scientometrics69, 153.pdf

Abstract: The calculation of Hirsch’s h-index is a detail-ignoring way, therefore, single h-index could not reflect the difference of time spans for scientists to accumulate their papers and citations. In this study the h-index sequence and the h-index matrix are constructed, which complement the absent details of single h-index, reveal different increasing manner and the increasing mechanism of the h-index, and make the scientists at different scientific age comparable.

Keywords: Age, Citations, h Index, h-Index, Mechanism, Papers, Ranking, Scientists

? Banks, M.G. (2006), An extension of the Hirsch index: Indexing scientific topics and compounds. Scientometrics, 69 (1), 161-168.

Full Text: 2006\Scientometrics69, 161.pdf

Abstract: An interesting twist of the Hirsch index is given, in terms of an index for topics and compounds. By comparing both the hb index and m for a number of compounds and topics, it can be used to differentiate between a new so-called hot topic with older topics. This quick method is shown to help new comers to identify how much interest and work has already been achieved in their chosen area of research.

Keywords: Method, Research

? Braun, T., Glänzel, W. and Schubert, A. (2006), A Hirsch-type index for journals. Scientometrics, 69 (1), 169-173.

Full Text: 2006\Scientometrics69, 169.pdf

Abstract: We suggest that a h-type index - equal to h if you have published h papers, each of which has at least h citations - would be a useful supplement to journal impact factors.

Keywords: Impact, Ranking, Scientists

? Zanotto, E.D. (2006), The scientists pyramid. Scientometrics, 69 (1), 175-181.

Full Text: 2006\Scientometrics69, 175.pdf

Abstract: In this short paper I propose a combination of qualitative and quantitative criteria to classify the quality, talent and creative thinking of the scientists of the ‘hard’, medical and biological sciences. The rationale for the proposed classification is to focus on the impact and overall achievements of each individual scientist and on how he is perceived by his own community. This new method is probably more complete than any other form of traditional judgment of a scientist’s achievements and reputation, and may be useful for funding agencies, editors of scientific journals, science academies, universities, and research laboratories.

Keywords: Classification, Community, Funding, Impact, Medical, Method, Qualitative, Quality, Research

? Rey-Rocha, J., Garzon-Garcia, B. and Martin-Sempere, J. (2006), Scientists’ performance and consolidation of research teams in Biology and Biomedicine at the Spanish Council for Scientific Research. Scientometrics, 69 (2), 183-212.

Full Text: 2006\Scientometrics69, 183.pdf

Abstract: Empirical evidence is given on how membership in a consolidated, well-established research team provides researchers with some competitive advantage as compared to their colleagues in non-consolidated teams. Data were obtained from a survey of researchers ascribed to the ‘Biology and Biomedicine’ area of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research, as well as from their curricula vitae. One quarter of the scientists work as members of teams in the process of consolidation. Our findings illustrate the importance, for the development and consolidation of research teams, of the availability of a minimum number of researchers with a permanent position and of a minimum number of support staff and non-staff personnel (mainly post-doctoral fellows). Consolidation of research teams has a clear influence on the more academic-oriented quantitative indicators of the scientific activity of individuals. Researchers belonging to consolidated teams perform quantitatively better than their colleagues in terms of the number of articles published in journals covered in the Journal Citation Reports, but not in terms of the impact of these publications. Consolidation favours publication, but not patenting, and it also has a positive effect on the academic prestige of scientists and on their capacity to train new researchers. It does not significantly foster participation in funded R&D projects, nor does it influence the establishment of international collaborations. Impact is influenced to a remarkable degree by seniority and professional background, and is significantly greater for young scientists who have spent time abroad at prestigious research laboratories.

Keywords: Activity, Age, Background, Bibliometric Analysis, Capacity, Career, Curricula, Determinants, Development, Evidence, Impact, Indicators, International, Laboratory Size, Nov, Participation, Performance, Process, Projects, Publication Productivity, Research, Research Collaboration, Research Productivity, Staff, Survey, Time, University

? Pinto, M. (2006), A grounded theory on abstracts quality: Weighting variables and attributes. Scientometrics, 69 (2), 213-226.

Full Text: 2006\Scientometrics69, 213.pdf

Abstract: The goal is to deepen the knowledge of both sides of the abstract/ing topic: abstracting variables and abstract attributes. Six abstracting variables (representing abstract, represented source, abstracting means, documentary goal, cognitive domain and user needs) and eight abstract attributes (representativeness, comprehensiveness, usefulness, accuracy, consistency, coherence, density and perceived quality) are proposed and weighted. While abstracting means is uncovered as the main abstracting variable, the representativeness and accuracy attributes stand out, and usefulness, comprehensiveness, consistency, coherence and density are regarded as the basic ones. The feedback of this quality model is performed by the perceived quality attribute, which depends exclusively on users.

Keywords: Abstract, Consistency, Density, Feedback, Information, Knowledge, Model, Needs, Nov, Quality, Research Articles, Theory

? Bollen, J. and de Sompel, H.V. (2006), Mapping the structure of science through usage. Scientometrics, 69 (2), 227-258.

Full Text: 2006\Scientometrics69, 227.pdf

Abstract: Science has traditionally been mapped on the basis of authorship and citation data. Due to publication and citation delays such data represents the structure of science as it existed in the past. We propose to map science by proxy of journal relationships derived from usage data to determine research trends as they presently occur. This mapping is performed by applying a principal components analysis superimposed with a k-means cluster analysis on networks of journal relationships derived from a large set of article usage data collected for the Los Alamos National Laboratory research community. Results indicate that meaningful maps of the interests of a local scientific community can be derived from usage data. Subject groupings in the mappings corresponds to Thomson ISI subject categories. A comparison to maps resulting from the analysis of 2003 Thomson ISI Journal Citation Report data reveals interesting differences between the features of local usage and global citation data.

Keywords: Analysis, Citation, Cluster Analysis, Combined Cocitation, Community, Global, Impact, Journals, Mapping, Networks, Nov, Proxy, Publication Delays, Research, Scientific Literature, Social Desirability Bias, Trends, Word Analysis

? Nwagwu, W. (2006), A bibliometric analysis of productivity patterns of biomedical authors of Nigeria during 1967-2002. Scientometrics,