Franzoni, C; Simpkins, CL; Li, B; Ram, A, Using content analysis to investigate the research paths chosen by scientists over time (Article, English) PROCEEDINGS OF ISSI 2007: 11TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE ISSI, VOLS I AND II. 2007. p.285-294

[Eugene Garfield]

Email address: chiara.franzoni at polito.it

Author(s): Franzoni, C (Franzoni, Chiara); Simpkins, CL (Simpkins, 
Christopher L.); Li, B (Li, Baoli); Ram, A (Ram, Ashwin)
 
Title: Using content analysis to investigate the research paths chosen by 
scientists over time 

Editor(s): TorresSalinas, D; Moed, HF 

Source: PROCEEDINGS OF ISSI 2007: 11TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE 
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR SCIENTOMETRICS AND INFORMETRICS, VOLS I AND II 
285-294, 2007 

Language: English 
Document Type: Article 

Conference Title: 11th International Conference of the International-
Society-for-Scientrometrics-and-Informetrics 

Conference Date: JUN 25-27, 2007 

Conference Location: Madrid, SPAIN 

Conference Sponsors: Int Soc Scientrometr & Informetr, CSIC, Minist Educ & 
Ciencia, FECYT, Comunidad Madrid, Eugene Garfield Fdn, Thomson Sci, 
Elsevier, Journal Informetr, Scopus, Ayuntamiento Madrid, Sci Metrix, Univ 
Carlos III Madrid 

Author Keywords: content analysis; academic scientists; semantic search; 
research trajectories; knowledge development 

KeyWords Plus: SCIENCE; PRODUCTIVITY; PERFORMANCE; INDICATORS; STATISTICS 
Abstract: We present an application of a clustering technique to a large 
original dataset of SCI publications which is capable at disentangling the 
different research lines followed by a scientist, their duration over time 
and the intensity of effort devoted to each of them. Information are 
obtained by means of software-assisted content analysis, based on the co-
occurrence of words in the ful abstract and title of a set of SCI 
publications authored by 650 American star-physicists across 17 years. We 
estimated that scientists in our dataset over the time span contributed on 
average to 16 different research lines lasting on average 3.5 years and 
published nearly 5 publication in each single line of research. The 
technique is potentially useful for scholars studying science and the 
research community, as well as for research agencies, to evaluate if the 
scientist is new to the topic and for librarians, to collect timely 
biographic information. 

Addresses: Politecn Turin, DISPEA, Turin, I-10129 Italy. 

Publisher Name: INT SOC SCIENTOMETRICS & INFORMETRICS-ISSI 
Publisher Address: KATHOLIEKE UNIV LEUVEN, FACULTEIT E T E W, DEKENSTRAAT 
2, LEUVEN, B-3000, BELGIUM 

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