Personal Research Database

Full Text: 2011\Scientometrics88, 471.pdf

Abstract: Understanding the nature and dynamics of Africa’s collaborative research networks is critical for building and integrating the African innovation system. This paper investigates the collaborative structure of the African research systems, with focus on regions and integration. Drawing on a bibliometric analysis of co-authorship of African research publications in 2005-2009, we propose an empirically derived grouping of African research community into three distinct research regions: Southern-Eastern, Western, and Northern. The three regions are established and defined in terms of active co-authorship clusters within Africa, as well as through co-authorship links with non-African countries and regions. We examine co-authorship links both at the national and city levels in order to provide a robust and nuanced empirical basis for the three African research regions. The collaboration patterns uncovered cast light on the emerging innovation systems in Africa by pointing out the differing national, regional, and global roles of countries and cities within collaborative research networks. Lack of research capabilities is the primary factor arresting the development of African innovation systems, but our analysis also suggests that Africa’s internal research collaboration suffers from structural weaknesses and uneven integration. We also identify that South Africa, and some emerging new research hubs, hold critical networking function for linking African researchers.

Keywords: Africa, Bibliometric, Bibliometric Analysis, Co-Authorship, Coauthorship, Collaboration, Development, Innovation, Innovation Systems, Primary, Publications, Research, Science

? van Raan, A.F.J., van Leeuwen, T.N. and Visser, M.S. (2011), Severe language effect in university rankings: Particularly Germany and France are wronged in citation-based rankings. Scientometrics, 88 (2), 495-498.

Full Text: 2011\Scientometrics88, 495.pdf

Abstract: We applied a set of standard bibliometric indicators to monitor the scientific state-of-arte of 500 universities worldwide and constructed a ranking on the basis of these indicators (Leiden Ranking 2010). We find a dramatic and hitherto largely underestimated language effect in the bibliometric, citation-based measurements of research performance when comparing the ranking based on all Web of Science (WoS) covered publications and on only English WoS covered publications, particularly for Germany and France.

Keywords: Bibliometric, Bibliometric Analysis, Bibliometric Indicators, Language of Publication, Publications, Ranking, Research, Research Performance, Science, University, University Rankings, Web of Science

? Leydesdorff, L. (2011), “Structuration” by intellectual organization: the configuration of knowledge in relations among structural components in networks of science. Scientometrics, 88 (2), 499-520.

Full Text: 2011\Scientometrics88, 499.pdf

Abstract: Using aggregated journal-journal citation networks, the measurement of the knowledge base in empirical systems is factor-analyzed in two cases of interdisciplinary developments during the period 1995-2005: (i) the development of nanotechnology in the natural sciences and (ii) the development of communication studies as an interdiscipline between social psychology and political science. The results are compared with a case of stable development: the citation networks of core journals in chemistry. These citation networks are intellectually organized by networks of expectations in the knowledge base at the specialty (that is, above-journal) level. The “structuration” of structural components (over time) can be measured as configurational information. The latter is compared with the Shannon-type information generated in the interactions among structural components: the difference between these two measures provides us with a measure for the redundancy generated by the specification of a model in the knowledge base of the system. This knowledge base incurs (against the entropy law) to variable extents on the knowledge infrastructures provided by the observable networks of relations.

Keywords: Anticipatory Systems, Citation, Citation Networks, Communication, Configuration, Development, Dynamics, Dynamics, Industry, Information, Interaction Information, Japan, Journal, Journals, Knowledge, Meaning, Measurement, Model, Redundancy, Self-Organization, Synergy

? Sakr, S. and Alomari, M. (2011), A decade of database research publications: A look inside. Scientometrics, 88 (2), 521-533.

Full Text: 2011\Scientometrics88, 521.pdf

Abstract: The database management technology has played a vital role in the advancements of the information technology field. Database researchers are one of the key players and main sources to the growth of the database systems. They are playing a foundational role in creating the technological infrastructure from which database advancements evolve. We analyze the database research publications of nine top-tier and prestigious database research venues. In particular, we study the publications of four major core database technology conferences (SIGMOD, VLDB, ICDE, EDBT), two main theoretical database conferences (PODS, ICDT) and three database journals (TODS, VLDB Journal, TKDE) over a period of 10 years (2001-2010). Our analysis considers only regular papers as we do not include short papers, demo papers, posters, tutorials or panels into our statistics. In this study, we report the list of the authors with the highest number of publications for each conference/journal separately and in combined. We analyze the preference of the database research community towards publishing their work in prestigious conferences or major database journals. We report about the most successful co-authorship relationships in the database research community in the last decade. Finally, we analyze the growth in the number of research publications and the size of the research community in the last decade.

Keywords: Authors, Citation Analysis, Co-Authorship, Coauthorship, Database Research Venues, h-Index, Information, Journal, Journals, Output, Papers, Publications, Publishing, Research, Science, Statistics, Top Publishers

? Hennemann, S., Wang, T. and Liefner, I. (2011), Measuring regional science networks in China: A comparison of international and domestic bibliographic data sources. Scientometrics, 88 (2), 535-554.

Full Text: 2011\Scientometrics88, 535.pdf

Abstract: Bibliographic databases are frequently used and analysed for the purpose of assessing the capacity and performance of individual researchers or entire research systems. Many of the advantages and disadvantages are the subject of continued discussion in the relevant literature, although only rarely with respect to the regional dimension of scientific publication activity. The importance of the regional dimension of science is reflected in many theoretical concepts, ranging from innovation system theories to territorial cluster concepts and learning regions. This article makes use of the extensive information found in bibliographic data and assesses the reliability of this information as a proxy indicator for the spatial dimension of scientific collaboration in emerging economies. This is undertaken using the example of the emerging field of biotechnology in China from 2000 onwards. Two data sets have been prepared: (1) the frequently used ISI Web of Knowledge database (SCI-Expanded) and (2) the domestic Chinese Chongqing VIP database. Both data sources were analysed using a variety of bibliometric and network scientific methods. The structural and topological similarity of networks, built from co-authorship data, is apparent between the two databases. At an abstract level, general network forces are present, resulting in similar network sizes, clustering, or assortativity. However, introducing additional complexity through regional subdivision reveals many differences between the two data sources that must be accounted for in the analytic design of future scientometric research in dynamic spaces.

Keywords: Bibliographic, Bibliometric, Biotechnology, China, Citation-Index, Co-Authorship, Coauthorship, Collaboration, Database Comparison, Databases, Emergence, Information, Innovation, Journals, Knowledge, Learning, Literature, Nanoscience, Publication, Publications, Regional Science Networks, Research, Research Collaboration, Research Performance, Scientific Publication, Spatial Scientometrics, Technical-Papers, Technology

? Prathap, G. (2011), Quasity, when quantity has a quality all of its own-toward a theory of performance. Scientometrics, 88 (2), 555-562.

Full Text: 2011\Scientometrics88, 555.pdf

Abstract: Quality, Quantity, Performance,aEuro broken vertical bar An unresolved challenge in performance evaluation in a very general context that goes beyond scientometrics, has been to determine a single indicator that can combine quality and quantity of output or outcome. Toward this end, we start from metaphysical considerations and propose introducing a new name called Quasity to describe those quantity terms which incorporate a degree of quality and best measures the output. The product of quality and quasity then becomes an energy term which serves as a performance indicator. Lessons from kinetics, bibliometrics and sportometrics are used to build up this theme.

Keywords: Bibliometrics, Energy-Index, Evaluation, Index, Kinetics, P-Index, Performance, Quality, Quantity, Quasity, Scientometrics, X = Lo = L(2)I

? Lopez-Illescas, C., de Moya-Anegon, F. and Moed, H.F. (2011), A ranking of universities should account for differences in their disciplinary specialization. Scientometrics, 88 (2), 563-574.

Full Text: 2011\Scientometrics88, 563.pdf

Abstract: A bibliometric analysis of the 50 most frequently publishing Spanish universities shows large differences in the publication activity and citation impact among research disciplines within an institution. Gini Index is a useful measure of an institution’s disciplinary specialization and can roughly categorize universities in terms of general versus specialized. A study of the Spanish academic system reveals that assessment of a university’s research performance must take into account the disciplinary breadth of its publication activity and citation impact. It proposes the use of graphs showing not only a university’s article production and citation impact, but also its disciplinary specialization. Such graphs constitute both a warning and a remedy against one-dimensional approaches to the assessment of institutional research performance.

Keywords: Academic Systems, Assessment, Bibliometric, Bibliometric Analysis, Bibliometrics, Citation, Citation Impact, Disciplinary Specialization, Graphs, Impact, Institutional Research Performance, Publication, Publishing, Ranking, Research, Research Performance, Spanish Academic System, University Rankings

? Kumar, R., Tripathi, R.C. and Tiwari, M.D. (2011), A case study of impact of patenting in the current developing economies in Asia. Scientometrics, 88 (2), 575-587.

Full Text: 2011\Scientometrics88, 575.pdf

Abstract: In the current scenario of the global economy and race for the next Asian super power, overall economic strength of the two countries, India and China, is a most debated topic. The future role of intellectual property protection especially in the form of patent system and the growth of industrialization for these two developing economies in ASIA may prove to be crucial over all other assets. In the current development scene of the changing global market supported by intangible asset of inventions protected mainly through the patents is emerging to play an important role. This paper elaborates the statistical research on patents granted/filed in the US Patent and Trade Mark office (US-PTO), PCT of WIPO and in the home countries over last 35 years of aforesaid two Asian countries. It is found that the economic and technological growth of both of the countries may make main difference primarily based on the level of patenting activity by them.

Keywords: Asia, China, Development, Economic Growth, Global Trading, Impact, Industrial Development, Innovations, Intellectual Property-Rights, Patent, Patents And IPR’S, Research, Statistical, US

? Kissin, I. and Bradley, E.L. (2011), Top Journals Selectivity Index: Is it acceptable for drugs beyond the field of analgesia? Scientometrics, 88 (2), 589-597.

Full Text: 2011\Scientometrics88, 589.pdf

Abstract: To predict the success of an analgesic drug we have suggested a bibliometric indicator, the Top Journals Selectivity Index (TJSI) (Kissin, Scientometrics, 86:785-795, 2011). It represents the ratio (as %) between the number of all types of articles on a particular drug in the top 20 biomedical journals and the number of articles on that drug in all (> 5,000) journals covered by Medline over the first 5 years after a drug’s introduction. For example, the highest TJSI score among analgesics was that of sumatriptan, the most successful drug for the treatment of migraine. The aim of this study was to demonstrate that TJSI may be used not only in the field of analgesics, but also for various other categories of drugs. The study tested two hypotheses. First, the difference between the most successful and less successful drugs in any pharmacological class can be reliably detected by TJSI. Second, drugs with TJSI indicators as high as that of sumatriptan can be found among other pharmacological classes as well. Drugs from various pharmacological classes approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) during the 10-year period, 1980-1989, were used in this study. Two groups of 10 drugs were selected to test the first hypothesis. One group included the most successful (breakthrough) drugs, the other included less successful drugs matched with the breakthrough drugs according to mechanism of action. The difference between the two groups was compared using three publication indices: the TJSI, the number of all types of articles on a drug in journals presented by Medline (AJI), and the number of articles covering only randomized controlled trials (RCT). It was found that TJSI can detect the difference between the two groups of drugs better than the two other indices. TJSI detected the difference between a breakthrough drug and its less successful counterpart at least 69% of the time with 95% confidence. With the other two indices the difference was not distinguishable from random chance. Some of the breakthrough drugs (zidovudine, omeprazole, lovastatin) have TSJIs as high or even higher than that of sumatriptan (19.2 vs. 23.0, 21.4, and 20.6, respectively). In conclusion, TJSI can be useful not only in the field of analgesics, but also with drugs belonging to other pharmacological classes.

Keywords: Bibliometric, Bibliometrics, Biomedical, Biomedical Journals, Drugs, Impact Factor, Journals, Publication, Randomized Controlled Trials, Scientometrics, Topic-Specific Publications

? Abramo, G., D’Angelo, C.A. and Viel, F. (2011), The field-standardized average impact of national research systems compared to world average: The case of Italy. Scientometrics, 88 (2), 599-615.

Full Text: 2011\Scientometrics88, 599.pdf

Abstract: The study presents a time-series analysis of field-standardized average impact of Italian research compared to the world average. The approach is purely bibliometric, based on census of the full scientific production from all Italian public research organizations active in 2001-2006 (hard sciences only). The analysis is conducted both at sectorial level (aggregated, by scientific discipline and for single fields within disciplines) and at organizational level (by type of organization and for single organizations). The essence of the methodology should be replicable in all other national contexts. Its offers support to policy-makers and administrators for strategic analysis aimed at identifying strengths and weaknesses of national research systems and institutions.

Keywords: Areas, Bibliometric, Bibliometrics, Field-Standardized Impact, Impact, Italy, Methodology, Productivity, Public Research Organizations, Research, Research Evaluation, Research Performance, Science, Scientific Impact

? Fu, J.Y., Zhang, X., Zhao, Y.H., Huang, M.H. and Chen, D.Z. (2011), Bibliometric analysis of complementary and alternative medicine research over three decades. Scientometrics, 88 (2), 617-626.

Full Text: 2011\Scientometrics88, 617.pdf

Abstract: This study applies bibliometric analysis to investigate the quantity and citation impact of scientific papers in the field of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The data are collected from 19 CAM journals in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E) database during 1980-2009, and 17,002 papers are identified for analysis. The study analyzes the document types, geographical and institutional distribution of the authorship, including international scientific collaboration. This study suggests that the major type of document is original article. The CAM papers are mostly published by North America, East Asia, and European countries, of which publications authored in East Asia are cited most. Country-wise, major contributors of CAM papers are from USA, People’s Republic of China, India, England and Germany. India has the highest CPP value, attracting high attentions in CAM community. This article also finds that international co-authorship in the CAM field has increased rapidly during this period. In addition, internationally collaborated publications generate higher citation impact than papers published by authors from single country. Finally, the research identifies productive institutions in CAM, and China Medical University located in Taiwan is the most productive organization.

Keywords: Alternative Medicine, Authors, Authorship, Bibliometric, Bibliometric Analysis, Cam, China, Citation, Citation Impact, Co-Authorship, Coauthorship, Collaboration, Complementary Medicine, England, Health, Impact, Journals, Papers, Promotion, Publications, Research, Science, Science Citation Index, University

? Gorraiz, J., Gumpenberger, C. and Wieland, M. (2011), Galton 2011 revisited: A bibliometric journey in the footprints of a universal genius. Scientometrics, 88 (2), 627-652.

Full Text: 2011\Scientometrics88, 627.pdf

Abstract: Commemorating the 100th death anniversary of Francis Galton, this paper is a bibliometric impact analysis of the works of this outstanding scientist and predecessor of scientometrics. Citation analysis was done in Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar (Publish or Perish) in order to retrieve the most cited books and journal articles. Additionally references were identified where Galton was rather mentioned than cited in order to analyze the phenomenon of obliteration by incorporation. Finally occurrence counts of Galton’s works in obituaries, Festschrift, the website Galton.org, major encyclopaedias and biographical indexes were compared to citation counts. As an outcome Galton’s works are increasingly cited or mentioned. Obliteration (use of eponyms) applies to one-third of Galton’s works and seems to be typical for fields like mathematics or statistics, whereas citations are more common in psychology. The most cited books and journal articles are also the most mentioned with remarkable correlation. Overall citation analysis and occurrence counting are complementary useful methods for the impact analysis of the works of “giants”.

Keywords: Bibliometric, Citation, Citation Analysis, Citation Counts, Citations, Francis Galton, Google Scholar, Historiometry, History of Science, Impact, Indexes, Journal, Men, Obliteration, Occurrence Counts, Publish or Perish, Science, Scientometrics, Scopus, Statistics, Web Of Science

? Jamali, H.R. and Nikzad, M. (2011), Article title type and its relation with the number of downloads and citations. Scientometrics, 88 (2), 653-661.

Full Text: 2011\Scientometrics88, 653.pdf

Abstract: Title of an article can be descriptive, declarative or a question. It plays important role in both marketing and findability of article. We investigate the impact of the type of article titles on the number of citations and downloads articles receive. Number of downloads and citations for all articles published in six of PLoS (Public Library of Science) journals (2,172 articles) were obtained from PLoS and type of each article’s title (including descriptive, indicative and question) was determined as well as the number of substantive words in title (title length). Statistical difference and correlation tests were carried out. The findings showed that differences exist between articles with different types of titles in terms of downloads and citations, especially articles with question titles tended to be downloaded more but cited less than the others. Articles with longer titles were downloaded slightly less than the articles with shorter titles. Titles with colon tended to be longer and receive fewer downloads and citations. As expected, number of downloads and citations were positively correlated.

Keywords: Article Titles, Articles, Citation, Citations, Colon, Colons, Download, Impact, Journals, Length, Science, Title Length, Words

? Egghe, L. (2011), Problems with “natural selection of academic papers”. Scientometrics, 88 (2), 663-667.

Full Text: 2011\Scientometrics88, 663.pdf

Abstract: In this short communication we give critical comments on the paper of Perakakis et al. (Scientometrics 85(2):553-559, 2010) on “Natural selection of academic papers”. The criticism mainly focusses on their unbalanced criticism of peer review and their negative evaluation of the link of peer review with commercial publishing.

Keywords: Commercial Publishing, Evaluation, Open Access, Peer Review, Publishing, Review, Scientometrics

? Perakakis, P., Taylor, M., Mazza, M.G. and Trachana, V. (2011), Understanding the role of open peer review and dynamic academic articles: Authors’ reply to “Problems with natural selection of academic papers”. Scientometrics, 88 (2), 669-673.

Full Text: 2011\Scientometrics88, 669.pdf

Abstract: We welcome the commentary by L. Egghe (Scientometrics, this issue) stimulating discussion on our recent article “Natural selection of academic papers” (NSAP) (Scientometrics, 85(2):553-559, 2010) that focuses on an important modern issue at the heart of the scientific enterprise-the open and continuous evaluation and evolution of research. We are also grateful to the editor of Scientometrics for giving us the opportunity to respond to some of the arguments by L. Egghe that we believe are inaccurate or require further comment.

Keywords: Academic Publishing, Commentary, Developing-Countries, Evaluation, Open Access, Open Peer Review, Peer Review, Research, Review, Science, Scientometrics

? Leydesdorff, L. (2011), Atlas of science: Visualizing what we know. Scientometrics, 88 (2), 675-677.

Full Text: 2011\Scientometrics88, 675.pdf

? Zulueta, M.A., Cantos-Mateos, G., Vargas-Quesada, B. and Sanchez, C. (2011), Research involving women and health in the Medline database, 1965-2005: Co-term analysis and visualization of main lines of research. Scientometrics, 88 (3), 679-706.

Full Text: 2011\Scientometrics88, 679.pdf

Abstract: This paper shows the main lines of research concerning health and women, as registered in the Medline database, broken down into four 10-year periods: 1965-1974, 1975-1984, 1985-1994, and 1995-2005. The units of analysis used were the Medline “MeSH” major terms, processed by means of co-term analysis. For graphic representation, the social network approach was used, with pruning performed by Pathfinder Networks (PFNET), so as to concentrate the displays. Factor analysis was used to group the descriptors and identify the main lines of research involving health and women. The results show that research on Health and Women has increased and undergone significant changes over the past 40 years, yet such studies are not given due importance.

Keywords: Analysis, Author Cocitation Analysis, Co-Term, Female, Gender-Differences, Health, Illness, Management, Maps, Medline, Morbidity, Mortality, PFNET, Research, Science, Sex-Differences, Social, Social Network, Social Networks, Visualization, Women, Word Analysis

? Kosecki, S., Shoemaker, R. and Baer, C.K. (2011), Scope, characteristics, and use of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s intramural research. Scientometrics,