Abstract
In the present study we propose a solution for a common problem in benchmarking tasks at institutional level. The usage of bibliometric indicators, even after standardisation, cannot disguise that comparing institutes remains often like comparing apples with pears. We developed a model to assign institutes to one of 8 different groups based on their research profile. Each group has a different focus: 1. Biology, 2. Agricultural Sciences, 3. Multidisciplinary, 4. Geo & Space Sciences, 5. Technical and natural Sciences, 6. Chemistry, 7. General and Research Medicine, 8. Specialised Medicine. Two applications of this methodology are described. In the first application we compare the composition of clusters at national level with the national research profiles. This gives a deeper insight in the national research landscape. In a second application we look at the dynamics of institutes by comparing their subject clustering at two different points in time.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Calinski, T., Harabasz, J. (1974), A dendrite method for cluster analysis. Communications in Statistics, 3: 1–27.
Duda, R. O., Hart, P. E. (1973), Pattern Classification and Scene Analysis. Wiley, New York.
Frame, J. D. (1977), Mainstream research in Latin America and the Caribbean, Interciencia, 2: 143–148.
Glänzel, W. (2001), National characteristics in international scientific co-authorship, Scientometrics, 51(1): 69–115.
Glänzel, W., Schubert, A. (2003), A new classification scheme of science fields and subfields designed for scientometric evaluation purposes, Scientometrics, 56(3): 357–367.
Leta, J., Glänzel, W., Thijs, B. (2006), Science in Brazil. Part 2: Sectoral and institutional research profiles. Scientometrics, 67(1): 87–105.
Milligan, G. W., Cooper, M. C. (1985), An examination of procedures for determining the number of clusters in a data set. Psychometrika, 50(2): 159–179.
Thijs, B., Glänzel, W. (2006), The influence of author self-citations on bibliometric meso-indicators. The case of European universities. Scientometrics, 66(1): 71–80.
Van Raan, A. F. J. (2004), Measuring Science, In: H. F. M. Moed, W. Glänzel, U. Schmoch (Eds), Handbook of Quantitative science and Technology Research. The Use of Publication and Patent Statistics in Studies on S&T Systems. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 19–50.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Thijs, B., Glänzel, W. A structural analysis of publication profiles for the classification of European research institutes. Scientometrics 74, 223–236 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-008-0214-0
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-008-0214-0