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A Study of the Relation between Byline Positions of Affiliated/Non-Affiliated Authors and the Scientific Impact of European Universities in Times Higher Education World University Rankings

Author

Listed:
  • Zsolt Kohus

    (Doctoral School of Regional and Business Administration Sciences, Széchenyi István University, Egyetem Square 1, H-9026 Győr, Hungary
    Innovation Center, Semmelweis University, Baross Street 22, H-1085 Budapest, Hungary)

  • Márton Demeter

    (Department of Social Communication, University of Public Service, Ludovika Square 2, H-1083 Budapest, Hungary)

  • László Kun

    (Innovation Center, Semmelweis University, Baross Street 22, H-1085 Budapest, Hungary)

  • Eszter Lukács

    (Globalization Competence Center, Széchenyi István University, Egyetem Square 1, H-9026 Győr, Hungary)

  • Katalin Czakó

    (Department of International and Applied Economics, Széchenyi István University, Egyetem Square 1, H-9026 Győr, Hungary)

  • Gyula Péter Szigeti

    (Innovation Center, Semmelweis University, Baross Street 22, H-1085 Budapest, Hungary)

Abstract

Universities have undergone a profound transformation to increase their competitiveness and research performance; evaluating their research output and scientific impact is therefore of great importance. This article aims to suggest an approach to analyze how the JIF quartile share of research articles differs among European universities in medical science, and how the byline positions of affiliated and non-affiliated authors can influence an article’s scientific impact. We examined the research output of universities in the Top 5 European and Visegrad Group Countries based on the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Ranking 2022 (University of Oxford, ETH Zurich, Karolinska Institute, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, KU Leuven, Semmelweis University, Jagiellonian University, Charles University Prague, and Comenius University Bratislava). We found that the share of Q1 and the less prestigious Q3 and Q4 papers are inversely proportional when plotted against the ranks of universities. Whilst the proportion of Q1 papers is higher for the Top 5 universities, this ratio decreases with a less prominent place in the ranking. The presence of non-affiliated authors in the first, last, and corresponding author byline positions has a significantly positive effect on the Category Normalized Citation Impact, correlating with the position of the university in the ranking. Moreover, the difference in the Category Normalized Citation Impact between papers with affiliated and non-affiliated authors is also specific to university rank.

Suggested Citation

  • Zsolt Kohus & Márton Demeter & László Kun & Eszter Lukács & Katalin Czakó & Gyula Péter Szigeti, 2022. "A Study of the Relation between Byline Positions of Affiliated/Non-Affiliated Authors and the Scientific Impact of European Universities in Times Higher Education World University Rankings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-14, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:20:p:13074-:d:940333
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