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Assessing the profile of top Brazilian computer science researchers

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Abstract

Quantitative and qualitative studies of scientific performance provide a measure of scientific productivity and represent a stimulus for improving research quality. Whatever the goal (e.g., hiring, firing, promoting or funding), such analyses may inform research agencies on directions for funding policies. In this article, we perform a data-driven assessment of the performance of top Brazilian computer science researchers considering three central dimensions: career length, number of students mentored, and volume of publications and citations. In addition, we analyze the researchers’ publishing strategy, based upon their area of expertise and their focus on venues of different impact. Our findings demonstrate that it is necessary to go beyond counting publications to assess research quality and show the importance of considering the peculiarities of different areas of expertise while carrying out such an assessment.

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Notes

  1. CNPq website: http://www.cnpq.br

  2. Lattes Plataform: http://lattes.cnpq.br.

  3. Simple H-INdex Estimator: http://shine.icomp.ufam.edu.br.

  4. CAPES Qualis Initiative: http://qualis.capes.gov.br.

  5. DBLP: http://www.informatik.uni-trier.de/~ley/db.

  6. Impact factor: http://thomsonreuters.com/journal-citation-reports/.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Isac Sandin (UFMG) for his invaluable help with processing data from the Lattes Platform, as well as the team behind the SHINE project, notably Prof. Altigran S. da Silva (UFAM). The authors would also like to acknowledge the financial support from InWeb—National Institute of Science and Technology for the Web, and their individual grants from CNPq and FAPEMIG.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

    Harlley Lima, Thiago H. P. Silva, Mirella M. Moro, Rodrygo L. T. Santos, Wagner Meira Jr & Alberto H. F. Laender

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  1. Harlley Lima
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  2. Thiago H. P. Silva
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  3. Mirella M. Moro
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  4. Rodrygo L. T. Santos
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  5. Wagner Meira Jr
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  6. Alberto H. F. Laender
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Correspondence to Mirella M. Moro.

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Lima, H., Silva, T.H.P., Moro, M.M. et al. Assessing the profile of top Brazilian computer science researchers. Scientometrics 103, 879–896 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-015-1569-7

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