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Correlation between quality and quantity in scientific production: A case study of Iranian organizations from 1997 to 2006

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  • Zouhayr Hayati

    (Shiraz University)

  • Saeideh Ebrahimy

    (Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz)

Abstract

In order to prevent the formation of a gap between the quality and quantity in Iranian scientific publications, this study makes an effort to analyze Iranian scientific publications indexed on the ISI Web of Science database using quantitative and qualitative scientometrics criteria over a ten year period. As a first step, all Iranian institutes were divided into three categories; universities, research institutes and other organizations. Then they were compared according to quantitative and qualitative criteria. Second, the correlation between the quality and quantity of the publications was measured. The research findings indicated that, according to qualitative criteria (citation, citation impact and percentage of cited documents) there are no meaningful differences among the three groups, while regarding quantitative criterion(number of papers), universities rank higher than the other two groups. The results also indicated that there is a positive and meaningful correlation among qualitative and quantitative criteria in the scholarly scientific publications conducted by Iranian organizations. In other words, in Iranian organizations the quality of publications increases as their quantity increases. The comparison of magnitude of correlation between these two criteria in the three categories reveals the fact that the correlation between number of papers and citations criterion in research institutes is stronger than the other two groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Zouhayr Hayati & Saeideh Ebrahimy, 2009. "Correlation between quality and quantity in scientific production: A case study of Iranian organizations from 1997 to 2006," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 80(3), pages 625-636, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:80:y:2009:i:3:d:10.1007_s11192-009-2094-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-009-2094-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Hajar Sotudeh, 2012. "How sustainable a scientifically developing country could be in its specialties? The case of Iran’s publications in SCI in the 21st century compared to 1980s," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 91(1), pages 231-243, April.
    5. Judith Czellar & Jacques Lanarès, 2013. "Quality of research: which underlying values?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 95(3), pages 1003-1021, June.
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    7. Barbara S. Lancho-Barrantes & Hector G. Ceballos-Cancino & Francisco J. Cantu-Ortiz, 2021. "Comparing the efficiency of countries to assimilate and apply research investment," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 55(4), pages 1347-1369, August.
    8. Quan-Hoang Vuong & Tung Manh Ho & Thu-Trang Vuong & Ha Viet Nguyen & Nancy K. Napier & Hiep-Hung Pham, 2017. "Nemo Solus Satis Sapit : Trends of Research Collaborations in the Vietnamese Social Sciences, Observing 2008–2017 Scopus Data," Publications, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-15, October.
    9. Daniil G. Sandler & Dmitry A. Gladyrev & Dmitry M. Kochetkov & Anna D. Zorina, 2022. "Factors of research groups' productivity: The case of the Ural Federal University," R-Economy, Ural Federal University, Graduate School of Economics and Management, vol. 8(2), pages 148-160.
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