A review of the literature on citation impact indicators

Citation impact indicators nowadays play an important role in research evaluation, and consequently these indicators have received a lot of attention in the bibliometric and scientometric literature. This paper provides an in-depth review of the literature on citation impact indicators. First, an overview is given of the literature on bibliographic databases that can be used to calculate citation impact indicators (Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar). Next, selected topics in the literature on citation impact indicators are reviewed in detail. The first topic is the selection of publications and citations to be included in the calculation of citation impact indicators. The second topic is the normalization of citation impact indicators, in particular normalization for field differences. Counting methods for dealing with co-authored publications are the third topic, and citation impact indicators for journals are the last topic. The paper concludes by offering some recommendations for future research

Eugene Garfield and Algorithmic Historiography: Co-Words, Co-Authors, and Journal Names

Algorithmic historiography was proposed by Eugene Garfield in collaboration with Irving Sher in the 1960s, but further developed only recently into HistCite^{TM} with Alexander Pudovkin. As in history writing, HistCite^{TM} reconstructs by drawing intellectual lineages. In addition to cited references, however, documents can be attributed a multitude of other variables such as title words, keywords, journal names, author names, and even full texts. New developments in multidimensional scaling (MDS) enable us not only to visualize these patterns at each moment of time, but also to animate them over time. Using title words, co-authors, and journal names in Garfield's oeuvre, the method is demonstrated and further developed in this paper (and in the animation at http://www.leydesdorff.net/garfield/animation). The variety and substantive content of the animation enables us to write, visualize, and animate the author's intellectual history

A robust nonparametric approach to the analysis of scientific productivity

Data on scientific productivity at institutes of the French INSERM and at biomedical research institutes of the Italian CNR for 1997 were analysed. Available data on human capital input and geographical agglomeration allowed the estimation and comparison of efficiency measures for. Nonparametric envelopment techniques were used, and robust nonparametric techniques was applied in this work for the first time for evaluating scientific productivity. It is shown as a useful tool to compute scientific productivity indicators and make institutional comparative analyses. Taking into account a large number of methodological problems, a meaningful and rigorous indirect comparison is made possible. Several possible explanations of the observed differences in productivity are commented on

The Open Access Landscape of Institutional Repositories : A bibliometric analysis of Lund University Publications

This master’s thesis is a bibliometric study of the institutional repository Lund University Publishing. The study aims to investigate the role of institutional repositories in open access publishing and to examine institutional repositories’ potential in describing research impact through the download statistics they provide for their open access material. The Swedish Research Council’s recent report on research evaluation in Sweden and the planned development of the SwePub national research database are impetus for a closer evaluation of institutional repositories in Sweden. Although related research has approached these topics before, the current thesis will do so uniquely by combining metadata and usage data from an institutional repository with citation analysis from Web of Science to better understand the role of institutional repositories in making research output available open access. The research output data of three faculties at the large, multidisciplinary higher education institution Lund University were examined for the study. The results of the bibliometric analysis showed a trend of increased proportions of publications available open access in the institutional repository from 2008 to 2012. There were however differences between the faculties, with the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Engineering showing a marked increase in open access content while the Faculties of the Humanities and Theology showed no increase. No substantial correlation was found between downloads and citations, suggesting that downloads represent a unique indicator of open access research impact, potentially reflecting use of scholarly material by a user group other than researcher colleagues. Further studies will however be needed to investigate the meaning of usage data in the form of download statistics

A nanotechnology strategic key research areas foresight model for improved innovation and technology transfer

Abstracts in English, Afrikaans and ZuluNanotechnology revolutionised industrialisation and economic development and is predicted to drive the next Schumpeterian wave of economic growth. Most countries are strategically positioning themselves to benefit from nanotechnology, being a general-purpose technology. Hence, to ensure prudent use of limited resources, countries must select and focus on key strategic nanotechnology research areas that have the potential to generate competitiveness and return on investment. However, no model currently exists on critical success factors for nanotechnology innovation management. Also, there is a lack of effective nanotechnology-specific foresight models. Furthermore, although nanotechnology foresight relates to the Multi-criteria Decision Making (MCDM) analysis, the use of MCDM methods in a foresight context has not been thoroughly explored yet. This research developed the Nanotechnology Innovation Diamond, a model for successful nanoscience research and development. The model was validated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) from a survey of 167 nanotechnology experts from South Africa. The results indicated that, at a 95% confidence level, the model satisfied the minimum CFA model fit requirements. The research further developed a nanotechnology-specific foresight model that integrates the Nanotechnology Innovation Diamond, technology mining, scientometrics, and the Analytical Hierarchical Process Multi-criteria Decision Making (AHP-MCDM) model. The AHP-MCDM foresight model was empirically tested in South Africa. The results showed that South Africa’s nanotechnology publications grew exponentially from 68 papers in 2000 to 1 672 in 2019, representing an increase of 2 459%. Compared to the other BRICS countries, namely, Brazil, Russia, India, and China, South Africa has the lowest nanotechnology productivity, scoring an activity index of 0.68. Universities are the most prominent publishers on nanotechnology, while the private sector has produced few publications. Only 48 patents were identified compared to 11 265 publications, and a meagre 3.5% of papers were found to report on nano-enabled products. This lack of reporting on nano-enabled products can negatively impact the commercialisation of nanotechnology. The top collaborating countries, top researchers, top institutions, and nanotechnology economic hubs are reported in this study. The key strategic research areas identified for South Africa include nanomaterials, nano-photoluminescence and optics, nanomedicine, nanocatalysis, nanoelectronics, nanobiotechnology, and energy. The results were benchmarked using an expert-survey foresight method, which gave 70% similar priority fields of research. The research contributes to the discourse on nanotechnology innovation management, technology-specific foresight methods, nanotechnology-specific foresight methods, and the utilisation of quantitative tools in foresight.Nanotegnologie het ’n omwenteling in industrialisering en ekonomiese ontwikkeling teweeggebring en daar word voorspel dat dit die volgende Schumpeterse golf van ekonomiese groei sal aandryf. Die meeste lande is besig om hulself strategies te posisioneer om uit nanotegnologie voordeel te trek, aangesien dit ’n meerdoelige tegnologie is. Om dus verstandige gebruik van beperkte hulpbronne te verseker, moet lande strategiese sleutelnavorsingsareas in nanotegnologie wat die potensiaal het om mededingendheid en opbrengs op belegging te genereer, kies en daarop fokus. Daar bestaan egter nie op die oomblik ’n model ten opsigte van kritiese suksesfaktore vir nanotegnologie-innovering-bestuur nie. Boonop is daar ’n tekort aan doeltreffende nanotegnologie-spesifieke toekomsbeplanningsmodelle. Hoewel toekomsbeplanning vir nanotegnologie verband hou met die Multi-criteria Decision Making (MCDM)-ontleding, is die gebruik van MCDM-metodes in ’n toekomsbeplanning-konteks nog nie behoorlik ondersoek nie. In hierdie navorsing is die Nanotechnology Innovation Diamond ontwikkel – ’n model vir suksesvolle nanowetenskap-navorsing en -ontwikkeling. Om die geldigheid van die model te bepaal, is bevestigende faktorontleding (CFA) van ’n opname onder 167 nanotegnologiekundiges van Suid-Afrika gebruik. Die resultate het aangetoon dat die model aan die minimum CFA-modelgeskiktheidvereistes voldoen het, met ’n 95%-vertroubaarheidsvlak. Verder het die navorsing ’n nanotegnologie-spesifieke toekomsbeplanningsmodel ontwikkel wat die Nanotechnology Innovation Diamond, tegnologie-ontginning, scientometrie, en die Analytical Hierarchical Process Multi-criteria Decision Making (AHP-MCDM) -model integreer. Die AHP-MCDM-toekomsbeplanningsmodel is empiries getoets in Suid-Afrika. Die resultate het getoon dat Suid-Afrika se nanotegnologie-publikasies eksponensieel gegroei het van 68 artikels in 2000 tot 1 672 in 2019 – dit verteenwoordig ’n toename van 2 459%. In vergelyking met die ander BRICS-lande, naamlik Brasilië, Rusland, Indië, en China, het Suid-Afrika die laagste syfer ten opsigte van nanotegnologie- produktiwiteit, met ’n bedrywigheidsindekssyfer van 0.68. Universiteite is die mees prominente uitgewers wanneer dit by nanotegnologie kom, terwyl die private sektor ’n paar publikasies opgelewer het. Slegs 48 patente is geïdentifiseer in vergelyking met 11 265 publikasies, en daar is bevind dat ’n skamele 3.5% van die artikels oor nano-geaktiveerde produkte verslag doen. Hierdie gebrek aan verslagdoening oor nano-geaktiveerde produkte kan ’n negatiewe uitwerking op die kommersialisering van nanotegnologie hê. In hierdie studie word verslag gedoen oor die lande, navorsers, instansies, en nanotegnologie- ekonomiese middelpunte wat die voortou neem. Die strategiese sleutelnavorsingsareas wat vir Suid-Afrika geïdentifiseer is, sluit nanomateriale, nano-fotoluminessensie en optika, nanomedisyne, nanokatalise, nano-elektronika, nanobiotegnologie, en energie in. Die resultate is genormeer met behulp van ’n kundige-opname-toekomsbeplanningsmetode, wat 70% soortgelyke-prioriteit-navorsingsvelde gelewer het. Die navorsing dra by tot die gesprekvoering oor nanotegnologie-innoveringsbestuur, tegnologie-spesifieke toekoms beplannings metodes, nanotegnologiespesifieke toekomsbeplanningsmetodes, en die benutting van kwantitatiewe middele in toekomsbeplanning.Igatsha lobuchwepheshe elibhekene nobukhulu nokubekezelelana liguqule ukuthuthukiswa kwezimboni nokuthuthukiswa komnotho futhi kubikezelwa ukuthi liza ngomkhulu umfutho olandelayo le-Schumpeterian lokukhula komnotho. Amazwe amaningi azibeka esimweni esifanele ukuze ahlomule egatsheni lobuchwepheshe elibhekene nobukhulu kanye nokubekezelelana kuhlobene nokuhlaziywa kocwaningo Lokwenziwa Kwezinqumo Ngemibandela eminingi (LKNE), ukusetshenziswa kwezindlela ze-LKNE esimweni elibhekene nobukhulu kanye nokubekezelelana, okuwubuchwepheshe benjongo evamile. Ngakho-ke, ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukusetshenziswa okuhlakaniphile kwezinsizakusebenza ezilinganiselwe, amazwe kufanele akhethe futhi agxile ezindaweni ezibalulekile zocwaningo lwegatsha lobuchwepheshe elibhekene nobukhulu kanye nokubekezelelana ezinamandla okukhiqiza ukuncintisana kanye nembuyiselo ekutshalweni kwezimali. Kodwa-ke, ayikho imodeli ekhona njengamanje ezicini zempumelelo ezibalulekile zokuphathwa kokusungulwa kwegatsha lobuchwepheshe elibhekene nobukhulu kanye nokubekezelelana. Futhi, kukhona ukuntuleka kwamamodeli okubona into engakenzeki aqondene negatsha lobuchwepheshe elibhekene nobukhulu kanye nokubekezelelana. Ngaphezu kwalokho, nakuba ukubona into ingakenzeki kwegatsha lobuchwepheshe sokubona izinto zingakenzeki akukahlolisiswa ngokugcwele okwamanje. Lolu cwaningo lwenze igatsha lobuchwepheshe elibhekene nobukhulu kanye nokubekezelelana kuhlobene Nokwenziwa Kwezinqumo Ngemibandela Eminingi, imodeli yocwaningo nokuthuthukiswa kwesifundo sezinto, izenzakalo esikalini senanomitha. Imodeli yaqinisekiswa kusetshenziswa ukuhlaziya isici sokuqinisekisa (UIS) ocwaningweni lochwepheshe abayi-167 beGatsha lobuchwepheshe elibhekene nobukhulu kanye nokubekezelelana baseNingizimu Afrika. Imiphumela ibonise ukuthi, ngezinga lokuzethemba elingama-95%, imodeli yanelisa ubuncane bezidingo zemodeli ye-UIS. Ucwaningo luqhubekile nokuthuthukisa imodeli yokubona okungakenzeki okuqondene neGatsha lobuchwepheshe elibhekene nobukhulu kanye nokubekezelelana ehlanganisa iGatsha lobuchwepheshe elibhekene nobukhulu kanye nokubekezelelana Kokuqamba kabusha kweDayimane , izimayini zobuchwepheshe, isayensi yamametrikhi, kanye nemodeli ye-Analytical Hierarchical Process Multi-criteria Decision Making (AHP-MCDM). Imodeli ye-AHP-MCDM yokubona okungakenzeki kwahlolwa ngokunamandla eNingizimu Afrika. Imiphumela ikhombise ukuthi izincwadi zaseNingizimu Afrika zeGatsha lobuchwepheshe elibhekene nobukhulu kanye nokubekezelelana - likhule kakhulu lisuka kumaphepha angama-68 ngonyaka wezi-2000 zaya kuyi-1 672 ngowezi-2019, nokumele ukukhula nge-2 459%. Uma kuqhathaniswa namanye amazwe e-BRICS, okuyiBrazil, Russia, India, neChina, iNingizimu Afrika inokukhiqiza okuphansi kweGatsha lobuchwepheshe elibhekene nobukhulu kanye nokubekezelelana , ithole inkomba yemisebenzi engu-0.68. Amanyuvesi abashicileli abagqama kakhulu ku-egatsheni lobuchwepheshe elibhekene nobukhulu kanye nokubekezelelana, kuyilapho imboni ezimele ikhiqize izincwadi ezimbalwa. Amalungelo obunikazi angama-48 kuphela ahlonziwe uma kuqhathaniswa nokushicilelwe okuyi-11 265, futhi kwatholakala ama-3.5% omncane wamaphepha ukubika ngemikhiqizo enikwe amandla yinano. Lokhu kuntuleka kokubika ngemikhiqizo enikwe amandla enano kungaba nomthelela omubi ekuhwebeni kwegatsha lobuchwpheshe elibhekene nobukhulu kanye nokubekezelelana. Amazwe aphezulu asebenzisanayo, abacwaningi abaphezulu, izikhungo eziphezulu, nezizinda zezomnotho zegatsha lobuchwepheshe elibhekene nobukhulu kanye nokubekezelelana kuyabikwa kulolu cwaningo. Izindawo zocwaningo zamasu ezibalulekile ezihlonzwe eNingizimu Afrika zihlanganisa izinto zenano, inano yephotholuminensi kanye ne-opthikhi, igatsha lemithi yenano, ikhathalysisi yenano, i-elektronikhi yenano, ubuchwepheshe bebhayiloji, namandla. Imiphumela yalinganiswa kusetshenziswa indlela yokuhlola kungakenzeki into yochwepheshe, enikeze ama-70% izinkambu zocwaningo ezibalulekile ezifanayo. Ucwaningo lunikela enkulumweni emayelana nokuphathwa kokusungulwa kwegatsha lobochwepheshe benano, izindlela zokubona izinto kusengaphambili eziqondene nobuchwepheshe obuthile, izindlela zokubikezela kusengaphambili eziqondene netheknoloji yenano, kanye nokusetshenziswa kwamathuluzi obuningi ekuboneni kusengaphambili.Business ManagementD. B. L

An Assessment of Impact Metrics’ Potential as Research Indicators Based on Their Perception, Usage, and Dependencies from External Science Communication

The demand for practicable methods for quantitative assessments of scientific products’ relevance has risen considerably over the past decades. As a consequence, research and commercial providers of scholarly data developed a wide variety of impact indicators, ranging from citation-based to so-called altmetrics. This highly heterogeneous family of indicators is based on the principle of measuring interactions with scientific publications that are observable online, and covers for instance mentions of publications in social and journalistic media, in literature management software, or in policy documents. The various metrics' theoretical validity as impact indicators is debated constantly, as questions regarding what it is that different metrics measure or express in many facets remain unanswered. This thesis makes two central contributions towards answering these questions. Its first part systematically assesses the status quo of various metrics’ perception and usage by researchers. This assessment serves to determine the significance of metrics in academic daily routines, as well as to identify relevant perceived problems concerning their usage. The challenges identified this way are in later sections of the thesis opposed with concrete measures to be taken during the development of future research metrics and their infrastructure to effectively solve common criticisms regarding current metrics and their use. Proceeding from the first part’s user studies, this thesis’ second part examines the relationship between research metrics and external science communication. It this way addresses a wide research gap with considerable potential implications for metrics’ validity as indicators for quality - the question to which degree these metrics are merely the result of promotion, which respective research publications receive