Abstract
The article covers the period 1989–1998. It investigates the results and meaningfulness of applying the Social Science Citation Index (SSCI, ISI, USA) to publication and citation studies of nine selected Social Science research areas in Scandinavia by analysing the international visibility, the research profiles, and relative citation impact. The study demonstrates that the areas Economics, Political Science, Sociology & Anthropology, Social Policy, Language & Linguistics, and, for Denmark and Finland, Information & Library Science as well as, for Sweden, Management studies, are well anchored internationally with a visibility in line with common S&T domains. The journal article world share of the region is increasing rapidly. Other small European countries, like the Netherlands, are even more substantially represented as regards citation analyses. The conclusion is that SSCI, although biased towards Anglo-American publications, actually makes room for valid bibliometric and scientometric analyses of research published by Scandinavian and other smaller countries with English as the second language in journals regarded international by ISI.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
A.J. Nederhof, E. Van Wijk, Mapping the social and behavioural sciences world-wide: Use of maps in portfolio analysis of national research efforts, Scientometrics, 40 (1997) 237-276.
D. Hicks, The difficulty of achieving full coverage of international social science literature and the bibliometric consequences, Scientometrics, 44 (1999) 193-215.
W. GlÄnzel, A bibliometric approach to social sciences. National research performances in 6 selected social science areas, 1990–1992, Scientometrics, 35 (1996) 291-307.
M. Luwel, H.F. Moed, A.J. Nederhof, V. De Samblanx, K. Verbrugghen, L.J. Van Der Wurff, Towards Indicators of Research Performance in the Social Sciences and Humanities: An Exploratory Study in the Fields of Law and Linguistics at Flemish Universities. Vlamse Interuniversitaire Raad, Brussels, Belgium, June 1999.
P. Ingwersen, The International Visibility of Danish and Scandinavian Research 1988–1996. Center for Informetric Studies, Royal School of Library and Information Science, Copenhagen, Denmark, 1998. (CIS Report 5).
P. Ingwersen, I. Wormell, Publication behaviour and international impact: Scandinavian clinical and social medicine, 1988–96, Scientometrics, 46 (1999) 487-499.
S. Kyvik, Internationality of the social sciences: the Norwegian case, International Social Science Journal, (1988) 163-172.
S. Kyvik, I.M. Larsen, International contact and research performance, Scientometrics, 29 (1994) 161-172.
S. Kyvik, I.M. Larsen, The exchange of knowledge: A small country in the international research community, Science Communication, 18 (1997) 238-264.
T. Luukkonen, O. Persson, G. Sivertsen, Nordic Collaboration in Science: A Bibliometric Study. Nordic Council of Ministers, Copenhagen, Denmark, 1991. (Nord 1991: 28).
Å.E. Andersson, O. Persson, Networking scientists, The Annals of Regional Science, 27 (1993) 11-21.
P. Ingwersen, Online indicators of Danish biomedical publication behaviour 1988–96: International visibility, impact and co-operation in a Scandinavian and world context, Research Evaluation, 8 (1999) 39-45.
A. F. J. Van Raan, Assessment of social sciences: The use of advanced bibliometric methods as a necessary complement of peer review, Research Evaluation, 7 (1998) 2-6.
R. M. May, The scientific wealth of nations, Science, 275, (February, 1997), 793-796.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ingwersen, P. The International Visibility and Citation Impact of Scandinavian Research Articles in Selected Social Science Fields: The Decay of a Myth. Scientometrics 49, 39–61 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005657107901
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005657107901