The use of on-line databases for bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Databases containing bibliometric information on published scientific literature play an impwtant role in the field of quantitative studies of science and in the development and application of Science and Technology indicators. For these purposes, perhaps the most important and probably the most frequently used database is the Science Citation Index, produced by the Institute for Scientific Information. SCISEARCH, the on-line version of the Science Citation Index (SCI), is included in several host computers. However, other databases are used as well, such as Physics Abstracts or Chemical Abstracts. In this contribution, potentialities and limitations of several online databases as sources of bibliometric data in a number of host computers will be discussed. The discussion will focuss on the on-line version of the Science Citation Index, and on citation analysis. It will be argued that for several specific bibliometric applications, on-line databases and software implemented in the host computer do not provide appropriate facilities. In fact, for these specific applications, one should first download the primary data from the host into a local computer (PC, Mainframe). Next, dedicated software should be developed on a local level, in order to perform the bibliometric analyses properly. This will be illustrated by presenting a number of applications, related to citation analysis (' impact measurement' ) and co-citation analysis (' mapping fields of science' ).