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An exploratory study of the feature of Iranian co-authorships in biology, chemistry and physics

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Abstract

This paper investigates factors behind co-authorships between scientists in Iran and elsewhere. It also compares the Iranian pattern of collaboration with other countries. A questionnaire was sent out to Iranian scientists in fields of physics, chemistry, and biology who had published an internationally co-authored journal article during 2003. The results show that not all co-authored articles were the result of a collaborative project. Also, the main collaborative motives behind the co-authorships were identified and described. Among these, we could mention sharing laboratory devices, accessing knowledge, and increased efficiency of the study at hand. It is clear that emigrated Iranian scientists play an important role as collaborators and probably also as links to the international scientific community as a whole. Cultural factors mix with scientific and work related ones. Although the proportion of international co-authorships is lower than in most other countries, the collaborative pattern seems rather similar.

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Correspondence to Göran Melin.

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Harirchi, G., Melin, G. & Etemad, S. An exploratory study of the feature of Iranian co-authorships in biology, chemistry and physics. Scientometrics 72, 11–24 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-007-1693-0

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