Bibliometric Indicators and Analysis of Research Systems: Methods and Examples

Formerly absent from the concerns of most politicians, indicators of scientific activity are now at the heart of the debate over the linkages between advances in science and technology and economic and social progress. There is a growing awareness of the advantages of basing opinions, and subsequent choices, on criteria that lend themselves more to quantitative evaluation. Science policy reviews would seem inconceivable today without recourse to existing indicators. Long focused on measures of input, such as expenditure and R&D staff, interest is turning increasingly to output – and especially to technology-related output (e.g. patents, technology balance of payments, trade in high tech). Where science is concerned, bibliometric indicators are a must.
In this paper, we shall begin with a brief history of bibliometrics, to trace its origins and define its role in the evaluation of science. We shall present a variety of bibliometric indicators, noting their uses and their limitations, along with practical examples. The aim of this study is to highlight both the strengths and weaknesses of bibliometric indicators and, above all, the precautions that need to be taken
when using them. It does not purport to be a comprehensive survey of the field.
Bibliometrics is a tool by which the state of science and technology can be observed through the overall production of scientific literature, at a given level of specialisation. It is a means for situating a country in relation to the world, an institution in relation to a country, and even individual scientists in relation to their own communities. These scientific indicators are equally suitable – providing the
customary precautions are taken – for “macro” analysis (e.g. a given country’s share in global output of scientific literature over a specified period) and “micro” studies (e.g. a given institute’s role in producing papers in a highly circumscribed field of science). They constitute a way to assess the current state of science, which can help shed light on its structure. By providing new information, bibliometrics can be an
aid to decision-making and research management. It alone cannot, of course, justify a decision or replace experts. Bibliometric indicators are practical tools which can be used in combination with other indicators.