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The implicit preference of bibliometrics for basic research

Author

Listed:
  • Paul Donner

    (Deutsches Zentrum für Hochschul- und Wissenschaftsforschung (DZHW))

  • Ulrich Schmoch

    (Fraunhofer ISI)

Abstract

By individually associating articles to basic or applied research, it is shown that basic articles are cited more frequently than applied ones. Dividing the subject categories of the Web of Science into a basic and an applied part, the mean field-normalization rate is referred to the applied or basic part depending on the research orientation of the paper analysed. By this approach, a distinct difference of the citations for the applied and basic parts of most subject categories is found. However, differences of the citation scores of applied and basic research organisations are found as well, but are less clear. The explanation is that applied and basic research organisations generally publish a mix of basic and applied articles. In consequence, the standard normalization without distinction of basic and applied papers is generally sufficient for the bibliometric assessment of research organisations.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Donner & Ulrich Schmoch, 2020. "The implicit preference of bibliometrics for basic research," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 124(2), pages 1411-1419, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:124:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1007_s11192-020-03516-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-020-03516-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Lin Zhang & Gunnar Sivertsen & Huiying Du & Ying Huang & Wolfgang Glänzel, 2021. "Gender differences in the aims and impacts of research," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(11), pages 8861-8886, November.
    4. Xin Li & Xuli Tang & Wei Lu, 2023. "Tracking biomedical articles along the translational continuum: a measure based on biomedical knowledge representation," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(2), pages 1295-1319, February.

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