Cited by 129scientometrics and bibliometrics researchWeb visibility and informetricsLibrary Science and Information

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 64 of the 71 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

The operationalization of “fields” as WoS subject categories ( WC s) in evaluative bibliometrics: The cases of “library and information science” and “science & technology studies”

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Leydesdorff, Loet, Bornmann, Lutz·2016·Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology

Abstract

Normalization of citation scores using reference sets based on W eb of S cience subject categories ( WC s) has become an established (“best”) practice in evaluative bibliometrics. For example, the T imes H igher E ducation W orld U niversity R ankings are, among other things, based on this operationalization. However, WC s were developed decades ago for the purpose of information retrieval and evolved incrementally with the database; the classification is machine‐based and partially manually corrected. Using the WC “information science & library science” and the WC s attributed to journals in the field of “science and technology studies,” we show that WC s do not provide sufficient analytical clarity to carry bibliometric normalization in evaluation practices because of “indexer effects.” Can the compliance with “best practices” be replaced with an ambition to develop “best possible practices”? New research questions can then be envisaged.

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Research works printed but not linked: 6

  1. Boyack K.W., 2011, The 13th Conference of the International Society for Scientometrics and Informetrics, 123
  2. Butler L., 2010, Book of Abstracts of the 11th International Conference on Science and Technology Indicators, September 9–11, 62
  3. Garfield E., 1971, The mystery of the transposed journal lists—Wherein Bradford's Law of Scattering is generalized according to Garfield's Law of Concentration, Current Contents, 3, 5
  4. Katz J.S. &Hicks D.(1995 June).The classification of interdisciplinary journals: A new approach.Paper presented at the Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference of the International Society for Scientometrics and Informetrics River Forest IL (pp.105–115).
  5. 10.1007/s11192‐012‐0783‐8 · DOI
  6. Rehn C., 2014, Bibliometric handbook for Karolinska Institutet

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Metadata

Authors
Leydesdorff, L., & Bornmann, L.
Affiliations
  • Amsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR) University of Amsterdam P.O. Box 15793, NL‐1001 NG Amsterdam The Netherlands
  • Max Planck Society (DE)
Venue
Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2015-01-08
Volume
67
Issue
3
Pages
707-714
ISSN
  • 2330-1635 (ISSN-L)
  • 2330-1643
OpenAlex
W2591659376
Cited by
129
References
71
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 7
FWCI
15.51
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology (publishedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • UvA-DARE (University of Amsterdam) (submittedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Library and Information Sciences › scientometrics and bibliometrics research
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Web visibility and informetrics
  • Social Sciences › Library and Information Sciences › Library Science and Information
Keywords
library and information science, science and technology studies, journal classification, Times Higher Education World University Rankings, bibliometric analysis, best practices

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