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Unequal metrics in research publications: the impact of bibliometric databases and faculty size across academic disciplines on university rankings in South Korea

Author

Listed:
  • SooJeung Lee

    (Sejong University)

  • Su Jin Kim

    (Seoul National University)

  • Sunna Park

    (Seoul National University)

  • Jung Cheol Shin

    (Seoul National University)

Abstract

This study investigated the publication patterns of 46 Korean universities across various academic fields, publication databases, and faculty size. In addition, this study further examined how these factors are associated with university rankings. The study analyzed a total of 84,568 Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus-indexed journals, 61,883 Korean Citation Index (KCI)-listed journals, and 7186 books published by 36,478 full-time faculty members in 4980 departments across 46 universities in South Korea from 2017 to 2020. Two strategies were applied to incorporate field normalization into the publication analysis: fractional counting and weighting. By examining per-faculty productivity across fields, this study highlights a pronounced disparity in the representation of research productivity within global rankings. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields, notably Bio & Health sciences and Physics & Engineering tend to be favored over Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH). The study identifies significant variations in research output based on institutional characteristics. Bio & Health sciences, especially at universities with medical schools, show the highest publication counts in WoS and Scopus. This highlights the role of specific disciplines and institutional structures in shaping university rankings. These findings emphasize inherent biases in current global ranking frameworks, which heavily prioritize publications in international journals, and advocate for a more nuanced approach that captures the diversity of research outputs across disciplines.

Suggested Citation

  • SooJeung Lee & Su Jin Kim & Sunna Park & Jung Cheol Shin, 2025. "Unequal metrics in research publications: the impact of bibliometric databases and faculty size across academic disciplines on university rankings in South Korea," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 130(2), pages 641-663, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:130:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1007_s11192-024-05223-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-024-05223-9
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