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Article
Publication date: 1 February 2003

Loet Leydesdorff

Aggregated journal‐journal citations can be used for mapping the intellectual organization of the sciences in terms of specialties because the latter can be considered as…

Abstract

Aggregated journal‐journal citations can be used for mapping the intellectual organization of the sciences in terms of specialties because the latter can be considered as interreading communities. Can the journal‐journal citations also be used as early indicators of change by comparing the files for two subsequent years? Probabilistic entropy measures enable us to analyze changes in large datasets at different levels of aggregation and in considerable detail. Compares Journal Citation Reports of the Social Science Citation Index for 1999 with similar data for 1998 and analyzes the differences using these measures. Compares the various indicators with similar developments in the Science Citation Index. Specialty formation seems a more important mechanism in the development of the social sciences than in the natural and life sciences, but the developments in the social sciences are volatile. The use of aggregate statistics based on the Science Citation Index is ill‐advised in the case of the social sciences because of structural differences in the underlying dynamics.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. 59 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 August 2011

Williams Nwagwu and Osakioduwa Egbon

This paper seeks to analyse publications on Nigeria indexed in Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI) and Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) of Thomson Scientific databases…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper seeks to analyse publications on Nigeria indexed in Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI) and Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) of Thomson Scientific databases respectively to understand the international perspective of aspects of research publication dynamics in both fields.

Design/methodology/approach

Data covering the period 2002‐2007 were collected from the SSCI and AHCI of the Web of Science, an online service of Thomson Scientific in June 2008.

Findings

SSCI and AHCI indexed a total of 716 publications on Nigeria, 634 and 82 respectively. Paper production in each of these fields rose during 2002 to 2004 and 2005 respectively, and then started dropping. The publications received a total of 1,371 citations; the 82 AHCI documents received only six citations, while the 634 SSCI publications received 1,366 citations, equivalent to means of 0.06 and 2.15 citations per AHCI and SSCI document respectively. Only 6.1 per cent of the AHCI documents were cited compared with 46.7 per cent of SSCI publications; but citation of social science papers was consistently on the increase, while citation of arts and humanities publications, flattened in 200 humanities, was consistently on the increase. In both fields, article type of papers written in English dominated.

Research limitations/implications

This research covers only a period of six years; a fuller picture would be obtained with a longer period.

Practical implications

Publications in sources listed in international databases could illustrate the extent to which Nigerian scholars have addressed issues of global relevance.

Originality/value

The paper uncovers the international status and perspective of Nigerian publications in social science and arts and humanities disciplines.

Article
Publication date: 1 March 1983

Helen Rippier Wheeler

Five years ago a friend whose business has the word “women” in its title began referring to me requests she received for information about a large area encompassing women's…

Abstract

Five years ago a friend whose business has the word “women” in its title began referring to me requests she received for information about a large area encompassing women's issues, herstory, Women Studies, feminism, nonsexist education, nontraditional employment, reentry persons, comparable worth, health, portrayal of women in literature, scientific developments by and affecting women, etc. They came from feminist and sexist people of all ages throughout the world. Most, however, were American women attempting to bridge the information gap and to counteract misinformation and lack of information about and affecting females. This eventually evolved into a non‐profit service through which I responded directly to inquiries.

Details

Collection Building, vol. 5 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0160-4953

Article
Publication date: 1 December 2001

P. Ingwersen, B. Larsen and E. Noyons

The paper investigates the advantages of graphical mapping of national research publication and citation profiles from scientific fields in order to provide additional information…

Abstract

The paper investigates the advantages of graphical mapping of national research publication and citation profiles from scientific fields in order to provide additional information with respect to research performance. By means of multi‐dimensional scaling techniques national social science profiles from seventeen OECD countries and two periods, 1989‐1993 and 1994‐1998, are mapped, each profile represented by a vector of either publication volumes or citation values for nine social science fields. Aside from demonstrating the developments of publication volumes and citedness ranges as well as patterns, the graphical maps display clusters and similarities of national profiles over time. Combined with international rankings of averaged national impact factors (NIF) relative to the average world impact of field (WIF) for the same number of fields and periods, the graphical display supplies additional otherwise concealed information of the differences in research patterns between countries – even when the NIFs are quite similar. The analyses show that low Pearson correlation coefficients can be applied to flag extraordinary instances of either high or low national citation impacts during a period. Most importantly, the graphical maps make a strong case for adjusting or tuning the baseline impact to the actual national publication profiles when comparing NIFs of different countries. A new indicator, the Tuned Citation Impact Index (TCII) is proposed. It is constructed from the amount of expected citations a country ought to have received in each research field aggregated over its true profile. Common baseline profiles, like those of the world or EU, are consequently not regarded as the ideal benchmark. In the case illustrated by the journal publications of the social sciences the paper verifies the hypothesis that a dominant central cluster exists consisting of the large Anglo‐American countries: USA, Canada and the UK. A further hypothesis, that the smaller northern EU countries with English as the second language are located together and close to the central cluster on the publication maps is only partly satisfied in the second period. A third hypothesis, that countries located near the central cluster on the citation maps may hold high(er) NIFs is falsified.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. 57 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 2003

Inna Shpilko

This article aggregates and reviews the disparate information needed to assess journal literature related to communication disorders both directly and peripherally. An extensive…

2191

Abstract

This article aggregates and reviews the disparate information needed to assess journal literature related to communication disorders both directly and peripherally. An extensive analysis was performed using a list of 40 journals on communication disorders derived from a review of selected libraries’ journal collections, and then compared to entries in respected indexes and bibliographies covering this discipline. The result of this analysis is a list providing comprehensive information including scope and coverage, publisher information, indexing/abstracting data, and online availability for those 40 journals. In addition, a survey was conducted among communication disorders faculty in the City University of New York (CUNY) to investigate which professional journals are used regularly for current awareness and for clinical/research information. The information presented in this article should be of interest to faculty, students and practitioners in this area, as well as subject librarians responsible for collection development.

Details

Collection Building, vol. 22 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0160-4953

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 1989

DAVID ELLIS

A behavioural approach to information retrieval system design is outlined based on the derivation of a behavioural model of the information seeking patterns of academic social…

5558

Abstract

A behavioural approach to information retrieval system design is outlined based on the derivation of a behavioural model of the information seeking patterns of academic social scientists. The information seeking patterns of a variety of academic social scientists were broken down into six characteristics: starting, chaining, browsing, differentiating, monitoring, and extracting. These characteristics constitute the principal generic features of the different individual patterns, and together provide a flexible behavioural model for information retrieval system design. The extent to which these characteristics are available on existing systems is considered, and the requirements for implementing the features on an experimental system are set out.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. 45 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

Article
Publication date: 8 January 2014

Daniel Torres-Salinas, Nicolas Robinson-Garcia, Juan Miguel Campanario and Emilio Delgado López-Cózar

– The aim of this study is to analyse the disciplinary coverage of Thomson Reuters' Book Citation Index database focusing on publisher presence, impact and specialisation.

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study is to analyse the disciplinary coverage of Thomson Reuters' Book Citation Index database focusing on publisher presence, impact and specialisation.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a descriptive study in which they examined coverage by discipline, publisher distribution by field and country of publication, and publisher impact. For this purpose the Thomson Reuters' subject categories were aggregated into 15 disciplines.

Findings

Humanities and social sciences comprise 30 per cent of the total share of this database. Most of the disciplines are covered by very few publishers mainly from the UK and USA (75.05 per cent of the books), in fact 33 publishers hold 90 per cent of the whole share. Regarding publisher impact, 80.5 per cent of the books and chapters remained uncited. Two serious errors were found in this database: the Book Citation Index does not retrieve all citations for books and chapters; and book citations do not include citations to their chapters.

Originality/value

There are currently no studies analysing in depth the coverage of this novel database which covers monographs.

Details

Online Information Review, vol. 38 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1468-4527

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 September 2009

Michael Levine‐Clark and Esther Gil

The purpose of this paper is to identify the utility of Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar as citation analysis tools for the social sciences.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the utility of Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar as citation analysis tools for the social sciences.

Design/methodology/approach

The 25 most‐accessed articles in 163 social sciences journals are searched in three citation databases.

Findings

Web of Science has long been the only tool for citation analysis. Scopus and Google Scholar, while still new to the market, are complementary to Web of Science and in some cases can provide a more nuanced view of the importance of scholarly articles in the social sciences.

Practical implications

As libraries struggle to provide the best tools to their users, they may wish to consider the freely‐available Google Scholar as a substitute or complement to expensive databases such as Web of Science and Scopus.

Originality/value

Most analyses of citation databases have focused on the sciences. Because this study examined the social sciences literature, it has expanded on the research available on Web of Science, Google Scholar and Scopus.

Details

Online Information Review, vol. 33 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1468-4527

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 August 2014

Daphne Kyriaki-Manessi

– This study aims to examine the major policy issues regarding the formation of a Greek Citation Index.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the major policy issues regarding the formation of a Greek Citation Index.

Design/methodology/approach

Literature search for determining international practices on the formation of citation indexes and applied inquiries on the major citation indexes available today online for which goals, policies on inclusion of published research, issues on impact factor, major concerns on distribution and use were examined within the Greek parameters imposed by language barriers, readability and usability. A blueprint of scholarly Greek production in humanities and social sciences (H&SS) was made along with the development of a mechanism for assessing and incorporating journals to the index.

Findings

The study reports on the following issues: selection of H&SS as a start of point for the citation index; setting of the index’s goals and objectives in view of the use of impact factor for the assessment of academics; comparison of international to national production of citation indexes; development of a mechanism needed to establish policies regarding the use of standards, selection of material, compliance with repository policies and open-access practices; and assessment of difficulties arising from language (and alphabet) differences, demographics, audience and scientific production.

Originality/value

The paper presents the designing of an information tool in a unique language environment and in isolation from the international indexing community. In addition, it contributes to the adoption of international indicators, such as impact factor, and their implementation within the Greek environment and the specification of parameters arising from language, demographics and publishing practices of the country.

Details

Library Review, vol. 63 no. 6/7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0024-2535

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 July 2013

A.N. Zainab, A. Abrizah and R.G. Raj

The purpose of this paper is to relate the problems identified about scholarly journal publishing in Malaysia to establish motivation for the system development; to describe the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to relate the problems identified about scholarly journal publishing in Malaysia to establish motivation for the system development; to describe the design of MyCite, a Malaysian citation indexing system and to highlight the added value to journals and articles indexed through the generation of bibliometrics performance reports.

Design/methodology/approach

The system uses a rapid prototyping method, modeling the functions identified in the Web of Science databases and Scopus, as the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia requires the system to be ready within a year, mainly to help improve the quality, accessibility and performance of Malaysian scholarly journals.

Findings

The paper shows the relational tables and module functions in MyCite; highlights the value added to bibliographic data through performance reports of authors, journals, institutions, country and bibliographical control of Malaysian journals; and provides performance tables of top authors, rank list of 75 journals by yearly impact factor, and other bibliometric indices.

Research limitations/implications

The paper highlight the problems in gaining access to full contents of journals, authors' adoption of variant names, and the vast variations in referencing style adopted by publishers, which may result in inaccurate counting and lost citations.

Originality/value

The strength of MyCite is in its reference editor module, which is a programme that segments article references into manageable chunks that helps speed up the data preparation for citation counting. MyCite improves the availability and visibility of Malaysian journals, enriches national research content, and provides better knowledge of national research outputs funded by universities and research institutions.

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