Several Papers of Interest to SIG-Metrics Readers

[Eugene Garfield]

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TITLE:          The need and viability of a mediation index in Latin
                American scientific production and publication The case of the Redalyc
                System of Scientific Information (Article, English)
AUTHOR:         Aguado-Lopez, E; Garduno-Oropeza, GA; Rogel-Salazar, R;
                Zuniga-Roca, MF
SOURCE:         ASLIB PROCEEDINGS 64 (1). 2012. p.8-31 EMERALD GROUP
                PUBLISHING LIMITED, BINGLEY

SEARCH TERM(S):   GARFIELD E         NATURE                242:485   1973

KEYWORDS:       Mediation; Science communication; Publications;
                Information systems; Latin America; Local science;
                Databases; Communities; Case studies

ABSTRACT:       Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to introduce the
online information system Redalyc as an intermediary tool that provides Latin American scientific articles with international standards (mostly related to natural sciences and developed countries) as well as with specific areas to host local research.

Design/methodology/approach - Redalyc is based on a semantic intersection model proposed by Russian semiologist Yuri Lotman. This model allows us to visualize the role played by Redalyc as a mediator between opposites, i.e. local science versus global science, and natural sciences versus social sciences. The paper presents some of the projects Redalyc has developed in conjunction with different countries and different scientific communities.

Findings - The paper describes some characteristics that local projects, similar to Redalyc, must have in order to become an intermediary between scientific journal production indexes that link global parameters for scientific communication with local production. The paper finds that efforts should not only be centered on the development of strategies to change certain inertias that distinguish local social scientific production (e.g. dependence on literary resources, lack of recognition of periodical media), but also on the way they could help these disciplines and local media overcome certain barriers, namely: normalization, language and technological handicaps.

Originality/value - The recognition of Latin American scientific production implies a dual process that not only involves local policies (scientific councils), but also requires producing reliable databases to provide scientists and journal editors with global references on how to produce visible scientific literature and pertinent knowledge for their contexts. Redalyc is currently a database that contributes in both ways.

AUTHOR ADDRESS: E Aguado-Lopez, UAEM, Redalyc Fac Social & Polit Sci,
                Toluca, Mexico

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TITLE:          Latin American scholarly journal databases: a look back
                to the way forward (Article, English)
AUTHOR:         Alonso-Gamboa, JO; Russell, JM
SOURCE:         ASLIB PROCEEDINGS 64 (1). 2012. p.32-45 EMERALD GROUP
                PUBLISHING LIMITED, BINGLEY

SEARCH TERM(S):  JOURNAL  item_title

KEYWORDS:       Scholarly journals; Latin America; Information services;
                Databases; Visibility

ABSTRACT:       Purpose - Scholarly journals from Latin America have
aspired to reach an adequate level of visibility and impact not only locally, but also in the international arena. Editors have not been alone in this endeavour, other actors in the information chain have also played their part. This article aims to examine the databases (indexing and abstracting services, directories, catalogues and electronic journal
portals) produced in Latin America between 1970 and 2009.

Design/methodology/approach - The paper begins with an historical review of the relevant regional initiatives and leads up to an assessment of the present day situation by analysing the contribution made by the databases in the identification, register, visibility, access and use of Latin American scholarly journals.

Findings - The creation of Latin American databases has improved communication and knowledge on publications in the region as useful additions to the scant information provided by international sources. The recent adherence to the principles of the Open Access movement has also potentially improved the visibility and access to publications from the region.

Originality/value - This is the first study to analyse the development of Latin American databases over a period of some 40 years.

AUTHOR ADDRESS: JO Alonso-Gamboa, Univ Autonoma Mexico UNAM, Dept Bibliog
                Latinoamer, Mexico City, DF, Mexico

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TITLE:          Bibliometric Study of Speech Recognition (Article,
                Chinese)
AUTHOR:         Yu, WJ
SOURCE:         2011 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SOCIAL SCIENCES AND
                SOCIETY (ICSSS 2011), VOL 4. 2011. p.206-214 INFORMATION
                ENGINEERING RESEARCH INST, USA, NEWARK

SEARCH TERM(S):  BIBLIOMETR*  item_title

KEYWORDS:       Speech Recognition; Lotka; Bradford; Author Productivity;
                Bibliometrics

ABSTRACT:       The purpose of this study is to investigate the
characteristics of the international literature related to speech recognition in SCIE and SSCI during 1990-2010. The results of this study reveal the fact that the growth of international literature related to speech recognition is still growing. Most of the literature is from various institutions in the USA. According to Bradford's Law, seven core journals in ABM are identified and analyzed. Moreover, the frequency distribution of the author productivity match the generalized Lotka's Law, but does not fit the Price's Law and 80/20 Law.