another aspect of the scientific profiles of eastern & western european eu countries:...

ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE SCIENTIFIC ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE SCIENTIFIC PROFILES OF EASTERN & WESTERN PROFILES OF EASTERN & WESTERN

EUROPEAN EUEUROPEAN EU COUNTRIES: COUNTRIES: PECULARITIES OF JOURNAL USAGEPECULARITIES OF JOURNAL USAGE

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven,Katholieke Universiteit Leuven,Steunpunt O&O Indicatoren, LeuvenSteunpunt O&O Indicatoren, Leuven (Belgium)(Belgium)

BALÁZS SCHLEMMER*BALÁZS SCHLEMMER*

*with special thanks to Wolfgang Glänzel for providing and preprocessing data,*with special thanks to Wolfgang Glänzel for providing and preprocessing data,and for offering valuable remarksand for offering valuable remarks

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main objective of the study is to reveal what has The main objective of the study is to reveal what has changed in national publication strategies in terms of changed in national publication strategies in terms of publication preferences regarding publication language, publication preferences regarding publication language, national/international orientation of journals, journal national/international orientation of journals, journal impact, document type and other characteristics from impact, document type and other characteristics from 1983 to 2003.1983 to 2003.

The presentation will also shed light on methodological The presentation will also shed light on methodological difficulties of journal categorisation as well as on journal difficulties of journal categorisation as well as on journal usage related tendencies in a more general context.usage related tendencies in a more general context.

[email protected]@econ.kuleuven.be || slide slide 22 of 18 of 18

DATA USED & LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY DATA USED & LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY


DATA USED IN THE STUDYDATA USED IN THE STUDY

All data were extracted from the SCI (1983) and SCIE (2003) All data were extracted from the SCI (1983) and SCIE (2003) databases of Thomson Scientificdatabases of Thomson Scientific

THEREFORE, THE THEREFORE, THE SCOPE OF SUBJECT FIELDSSCOPE OF SUBJECT FIELDS INCLUDE INCLUDE

• • aall ll fields of natural sciencesfields of natural sciences• a• all ll fields of life- and biosciencesfields of life- and biosciences• a• all ll fields of mathematics, engineering and applied sciencesfields of mathematics, engineering and applied sciences• selected parts of SSCI covering psychology • selected parts of SSCI covering psychology & behav. science& behav. science

PUBLICATION TYPESPUBLICATION TYPES

4 publication types were taken into account:4 publication types were taken into account:• • articles, letters, notes and reviewsarticles, letters, notes and reviews


GEOGRAPHICAL SCOPE OF THE STUDY GEOGRAPHICAL SCOPE OF THE STUDY

•• Concept: EU15 + Concept: EU15 + 10 new EU 10 new EU countries of the countries of the enlargement in enlargement in 20042004

•• CYP, EST, LTU, LUX, CYP, EST, LTU, LUX, LVA, MLTLVA, MLThad to be excludedhad to be excluded

•• SVN was easily SVN was easily identifiable even identifiable even within YUG in 1983within YUG in 1983

TIME PERIODS; COUNTING SCHEMETIME PERIODS; COUNTING SCHEMESS


TIMEFRAME OF THE STUDYTIMEFRAME OF THE STUDY

uunlike in earlier years, only 2 snapshots were selected now:nlike in earlier years, only 2 snapshots were selected now:• 1983• 1983• 1993• 1993• 2003• 2003

CITATION COUNTSCITATION COUNTS

•• for Journal Impact Factors for Journal Impact Factors 3-year citation windows3-year citation windows were used were used (publication year(publication yearnn, year, yearn+1n+1 and year and yearn+2n+2))

COUNTING SCHEMECOUNTING SCHEME

• • full (integer) counting scheme (in all cases concerned)full (integer) counting scheme (in all cases concerned)

RESEARCH AREAS IN FOCUSRESEARCH AREAS IN FOCUS


TOPIC 1 TOPIC 1 CHANGES OF PRODUCTIVITY (NUMBERS AND IMPACTS) CHANGES OF PRODUCTIVITY (NUMBERS AND IMPACTS)

method: some basic calculationsmethod: some basic calculations

TOPIC 2TOPIC 2 SOME SOME THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS...THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS...

...concerning the difficulties of categorisation of journals on the ...concerning the difficulties of categorisation of journals on the basis of internationalitybasis of internationality

TOPIC 3TOPIC 3 INTERNATIONALINTERNATIONAL / DOMESTIC NATURE OF PUBLISHING / DOMESTIC NATURE OF PUBLISHING

method:method: classification of national top10 journals by classification of national top10 journals by internationalityinternationality

CHANGES IN CHANGES IN TOTAL PUBLICATION OUTPUTTOTAL PUBLICATION OUTPUT


Remarkable that in 1983 Spain’s publication output is about the same as Remarkable that in 1983 Spain’s publication output is about the same as Czechoslovakia’s one!Czechoslovakia’s one!

Nevertheless, in just 20 Nevertheless, in just 20 years Spain’s and years Spain’s and Portugal’s growth in Portugal’s growth in number of publications number of publications exceeds 7x and 10x exceeds 7x and 10x multiplication factors, multiplication factors, respectively.respectively.

Earlier observations Earlier observations (Cano & al, 1992; (Cano & al, 1992; Román & al, 1994; Román & al, 1994; Gomez & al, 1995; Gomez & al, 1995; REIST-2, 1997)REIST-2, 1997) link this link this striking striking growth to the growth to the scientific programs of scientific programs of the EU.the EU.

GROWTH IN ARTICLES vs. JOURNALS USED & vs. TOTAL IMPACT GROWTH IN ARTICLES vs. JOURNALS USED & vs. TOTAL IMPACT


SVN

GRC

ESP

PRT PRT

ESP

GRC

SVNRelative concentration Relative concentration of publications in case of of publications in case of the Southern countries: the Southern countries: the “boom” of journals the “boom” of journals they publish in does not they publish in does not completely follow the completely follow the even more exploding even more exploding growth of their articles.growth of their articles.

Slovenia: opposite Slovenia: opposite effecteffect: their articles : their articles spread more than spread more than before.before.

GGROWTHROWTH ININ 20 20 YEARSYEARS::from 1983 to 2003from 1983 to 2003

Remarkable: the growth in article production Remarkable: the growth in article production exceeds the growth of the total impact in ALL exceeds the growth of the total impact in ALL cases. Is it the triumph of quantity over cases. Is it the triumph of quantity over quality, or does the dramatic growth in quality, or does the dramatic growth in number of journals make it more difficult to number of journals make it more difficult to reach the desired impact?reach the desired impact?

MEAN EXPECTED CITATION RATES MEAN EXPECTED CITATION RATES


The Mean Expected Citation The Mean Expected Citation Rate (MECR) is defined as the Rate (MECR) is defined as the average of the individual average of the individual expected citation rates over a expected citation rates over a country’s whole journal set.country’s whole journal set.

Apparently, the Apparently, the “expectations” have doubled “expectations” have doubled in 20 years.in 20 years.

Do we publish in better Do we publish in better journals? Or do our journals journals? Or do our journals have higher impact? Or...?have higher impact? Or...?

RELATIVE CITATION RATES RELATIVE CITATION RATES


RCR = ratio of the Mean Observed Citation Rate to the MECRRCR = ratio of the Mean Observed Citation Rate to the MECR

Significant Significant changes in RCR in changes in RCR in 20 years20 years::

• • the Irish the Irish “boom”:“boom”:from the bottom right to from the bottom right to the topthe top (see (see REIST-2, REIST-2, 1997; Battel, 2003 and 1997; Battel, 2003 and Glänzel Glänzel & al, 2007)& al, 2007)

• • well-distinguishable well-distinguishable cluster for countries of cluster for countries of South and East EuropeSouth and East Europe (see further similarities (see further similarities in their national re-in their national re-search profiles, too!)search profiles, too!)

INTERNATIONAL vs. NATIONALINTERNATIONAL vs. NATIONAL


THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT INTERNATIONALITYTHEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT INTERNATIONALITY

Seems easy to identify and categorise a particular journal, Seems easy to identify and categorise a particular journal, but in practice it could not be any further from it.but in practice it could not be any further from it.

How to determine whether a particular journal is How to determine whether a particular journal is international or domestic? Two approaches:international or domestic? Two approaches:

• • Language of the journalLanguage of the journal

• • Nationality (or geographical diversity) of the authorsNationality (or geographical diversity) of the authors


PROBLEMS WITH CATEGORISATIONS PROBLEMS WITH CATEGORISATIONS

LANGUAGE APPROACHLANGUAGE APPROACH GEOGRAPHIC APPROACHGEOGRAPHIC APPROACH

•• wrong or incomplete address wrong or incomplete address fields in recordsfields in records

•• international co-authorshipinternational co-authorship

•• emigrant scientists inflate emigrant scientists inflate internationalityinternationality

• • huge number of journal articles huge number of journal articles to be analysed manuallyto be analysed manually

•• Language has nothing to do Language has nothing to do with nationalitywith nationality

•• Anglo-Saxon dominance and Anglo-Saxon dominance and bias; no real national journal bias; no real national journal can be found in English-can be found in English-speaking countriesspeaking countries

•• other biasing factors related other biasing factors related to language use: common to language use: common languages, former colonies, languages, former colonies, coherent regions, coherent regions, multilingual journals etc.multilingual journals etc.

––> “collateral damage”> “collateral damage”

––> > then then international journalinternational journal

––> internationality threshold> internationality threshold

––> strong limitation of journals> strong limitation of journals


SOLUTION = THRESHOLD + LIMITATION SOLUTION = THRESHOLD + LIMITATION

A)A) Due to the mentioned reasons, a threshold based on empirical Due to the mentioned reasons, a threshold based on empirical experimenting has been introduced for national journals:experimenting has been introduced for national journals:

5%5%

tolerance of international contributions.tolerance of international contributions.

B)B) In order to reduce the workload of manual data processing, In order to reduce the workload of manual data processing, the scope of investigations were limited only to the the scope of investigations were limited only to the

top10 journalstop10 journals

of each EU country involved.of each EU country involved.


COVERAGES OF THE TOP10 JOURNALS COVERAGES OF THE TOP10 JOURNALS

The article coverage of the top10 journals ranges from 9.5% to The article coverage of the top10 journals ranges from 9.5% to 35.5% in 1983; and from 6.4% to 18.5% in 2003.35.5% in 1983; and from 6.4% to 18.5% in 2003.

Interesting tendency: deconcentration (diversification) of papersInteresting tendency: deconcentration (diversification) of papers(2.5 times as many journals in 2003 as in 1983!)(2.5 times as many journals in 2003 as in 1983!)


A FEW TRICKY THINGS TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION... A FEW TRICKY THINGS TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION...

In 75% of the cases the journal Paperi Ja Puu does not have anything in the

address field

In 1993 Chemicke Listy becomes international

because of 1 Canadian and 8 Slovakian articles (out of 89)

Name variants like GERMANY, GER, FED REP GER

• journal name variants may occur

• wrong addresses

• non-real co-authorship (more than 1 affiliations in different countries

• words like ‘and’ & ‘or’ in journal titles may cause difficulties at semi-automatized querying

• researchers working abroad inflate the rate of internationality

• researchers from India publish literally everywhere, consequently they inflate international

INTERNATIONAL vs. NATIONALINTERNATIONAL vs. NATIONAL


SHARE OF ARTICLES PUBLISHED NATIONALLY vs. SHARE OF ARTICLES PUBLISHED NATIONALLY vs. INTERNATIONALLY IN THE TOP10 JOURNALSINTERNATIONALLY IN THE TOP10 JOURNALS

19831983 20032003

CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS ON JOURNAL USAGE ON JOURNAL USAGE (1) (1)


•• There are dynamic growth rates both in number of articles There are dynamic growth rates both in number of articles published and journals to publish in. published and journals to publish in. The EU-triggered The EU-triggered tendency shown by South Europe hopefully marks the path tendency shown by South Europe hopefully marks the path for the recently joined EU countries, toofor the recently joined EU countries, too..

•• Growth of impact does not follow the growth in number of Growth of impact does not follow the growth in number of publications to the same extent – again, PRT, ESP, GRC and publications to the same extent – again, PRT, ESP, GRC and SVN have outliersSVN have outliers..

•• RCR values of South and East Europe tend to behave RCR values of South and East Europe tend to behave similarly. The two clusters similarly. The two clusters shares the shares the common feature common feature of of having RCR<1, that is, the average (country-wise) citedness having RCR<1, that is, the average (country-wise) citedness is lower than expected on the basis of MECR. However, is lower than expected on the basis of MECR. However, definite progression is observed over the 20 years.definite progression is observed over the 20 years.Of course, a subfield-normalised analysis would draw a lot Of course, a subfield-normalised analysis would draw a lot more accurate picture about the countries’ RCR profiles.more accurate picture about the countries’ RCR profiles.

CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS ON JOURNAL USAGE ON JOURNAL USAGE (2) (2)


•• Internationality cannot be measured easily.Internationality cannot be measured easily.

•• Once again, the not surprising tendency of decentralisation Once again, the not surprising tendency of decentralisation (diversification) of publication placement has been (diversification) of publication placement has been observed.observed.

•• In 1983 publishing nationally was the playground of In 1983 publishing nationally was the playground of countries being small or having countries being small or having problems with language problems with language competence competence and/or political freedom and/or political freedom (e.g. former (e.g. former communist countries where language education was rather communist countries where language education was rather limited to languages of limited to languages of “friendly” countries (if at all), and “friendly” countries (if at all), and the directions of international co-operations (if at all) were the directions of international co-operations (if at all) were also controlled)also controlled)..

•• For 2003 national publishing has become marginalised, at For 2003 national publishing has become marginalised, at least in the top segment of the journal range.least in the top segment of the journal range.

another aspect of the scientific profiles of eastern & western european eu countries:...

Documents

publication language

total publication output

spains publication output

boom of journals

portugals growth

exploding growth

total impact

fields of mathematics