Mapping the research on scientific collaboration

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to identify the trends and hot topics in the study of scientific collaboration via scientometric analysis. Information visualization and knowledge domain visualization techniques were adopted to determine how the study of scientific collaboration has evolved. A total of 1,455 articles on scientific cooperation published between 1993 and 2007 were retrieved from the SCI, SSCI and A&amp;HCI databases with a topic search of scientific collaboration or scientific cooperation for the analysis. By using CiteSpace, the knowledge bases, research foci, and research fronts in the field of scientific collaboration were studied. The results indicated that research fronts and research foci are highly consistent in terms of the concept, origin, measurement, and theory of scientific collaboration. It also revealed that research fronts included scientific collaboration networks, international scientific collaboration, social network analysis and techniques, and applications of bibliometrical indicators, webmetrics, and health care related areas.</p