Welcome to the first issue of Research Trends, a bi-monthly newsletter providing objective, up-to-the-minute insights into scientific trends based on bibliometric analysis.

Worldwide, there has been increasing demand for quality research performance measurement and trend-related information by deans, faculty heads, researchers, funding bodies and ranking agencies.

In response to this demand Research Trends has been launched to share interesting insights into developments, approaches and tools in this area.

Research Trends is powered by Scopus, the largest abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature and quality Web sources, with smart tools to track, analyze and visualize research.

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Look out for the next issue in November.

Kind regards,

The Research Trends Editorial Board

  
   
 
     
   
Scientometrics from past to present
The origins of scientometric research can be traced back to the beginning of the 19th century. In the 21st century, the field is growing at an enormous pace and attracts interest far beyond the walls of universities and institutions. This two-part article explores not only scientometrics’ past but also its impact on and relevance in the present.
     
   
Country analysis: examining the numbers
Research evaluation at country or national level is moving increasingly towards a metric-based system. The data produced can give interesting insights into the results within and between countries. We examine some of the numbers and what they can tell us.
     
   
Focus on Turkey: the influence of policy on research output
Scientific research is becoming increasingly global. In the first of a series exploring research trends across borders, we focus on Turkey and the policy changes that have affected article output in recent years.
     
   
From h to g: the evolution of citation indices
The ‘g-index’ was developed by Professor Leo Egghe in 2006 in response to the ‘h-index’. Both indices measure the output (quantity) and impact (quality or visibility) of an individual author. Egghe explains why he thinks the g-index is an improvement.
     
 
 

Editorial Board
Iris Kisjes | Helen de Mooij | Gertrude Hoogendoorn | Andrew Plume | David Tempest | Sudi Jessurun | Lisa Geijtenbeek-Colledge | Cecily Layzell, The Write Company

Find out how the Web can help measure the impact of research

Learn about the history of science mapping

Take a guided tour of all fields of science

View the geography of science (maps 205 and 206)
How big can a research paper get?

In the era of globalization, science is leading the curve. A microcosm of this trend can be seen in the massive research article entitled ‘Precision electroweak measurements on the Z resonance’ published in Physics Reports in 2006 (1). Spanning 198 pages (in a dedicated double issue of the journal) and listing 405 references, this singular work of scholarship is attributed to 2,535 authors affiliated with 225 institutes in 33 countries, working within 7 collaborative research groups.

(1) Grünewald et al (2006) “Precision electroweak measurements on the Z resonance”, Physics Reports, Vol. 427, No. 5-6, pp. 257-454.