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Mainstream and non mainstream scientific literature in four peripheral Asian scientific communities

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Abstract

This paper describes the mainstream scientific output of the scientific communities of four newly industrializing Asian countries (Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan) and considers its adequacy for describing local scientific activities in biochemistry, biology, physics, electrical engineering, and computer science. An examination of non mainstream scientific literature in these specialties shows that a high proportion of non mainstream authors also publish in mainstream literature. Data concerning degree of parochialism, age of references and use of vernacular literature are examined. The paper argues that it is misleading to characterize these peripheral scientific communities as principally stratified in function of local scientists' participation in mainstream science.

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Davis, C.H., Eisemon, T.O. Mainstream and non mainstream scientific literature in four peripheral Asian scientific communities. Scientometrics 15, 215–239 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02017200

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