SCIENTROMETRIC
By
Preeti Patil
Introduction
The twentieth century may be described as the century of
the development of metric science. Among the different metrics
Scientrometric is the most interesting subject area in the field
of library and information science, which can be applied to any
discipline irrespective of their period of evolution. It involves
quantitative studies of scientific activities. It is also one such
useful metrics/technique which helps to solve the problems,
challenges posed by so called information explosion. Over the
years, several new terms have appeared in library and
information science. They were known as –
 Librametrics (1940’s)
 Bibliometrics (1960’s)
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 Scientrometrics (1970’s)
 Informetrics (1980).
 Cybermetrics and webometrics (1990’s)
Now let us see in brief , what all these metrics define.
 Librametrics as , “ Quantitative analysis of various facets of
library activities and library documents by the application of
mathematical and statistical calculus to seek solution to library
problems.”
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 Bibliometrics as “ the study of the use of documents and
patterns of publication in which mathematical and statistical
methods have been applied.”
 Informetrics was used as a generic term to mean the use and
development of a variety of measures to study and analyze
several properties of information in general and documents in
particular.”It covers bibliometrics and scientrometrics.
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 Webometrics/Cybermetrics as the study of the quantitative
aspects of the construction and use of information resources ,
structure
and technologies on the www drawing on
bibliometrics and informetric approaches.”
 “Webometrics displays several similarities to informetric and
Scientometrics studies and the application of common
bibliometrics methods.”
What is Scientrometrics?
 It is the science of measuring the “quality “of science.
 It is often done using bibliometrics which is a measurement of
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the impact of scientific publication.
It includes all quantitative aspects of the science of science,
communication in science, and science policy.
The term Scientometrics originated as a Russian term for the
application of quantitative methods to the history of science.
This term was introduction and came into prominence with
founding of the journal named ‘Scientrometrics’
It deals with analysis, evaluation and graphic representation of
science and technology information. It tells “Who is doing what
and where?”
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 by T . Braunin 1977, originally published in Hungary and
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currently from Amsterdam.
Scientrometrics used to mean communication process in science
including social- culture aspects and appears to be almost
synonymous to science of science.
Scientrometrics can be treated as an analogue concept to
bibliometrics.
The term Scientrometrics is a field which applies quantitative
methods to the study of science as an information process.
Thus scientrometrics is a part of the sociology of science and
has application to science policy making.
Definitions
 Nalmov and Mulchenko (1969) of USSR defined as the
quantitative methods which deals with analysis of science
viewed as an information process.
 According to Pouris (1989), ‘Scientrometrics is a application of
quantitative techniques(system analysis, mathematical and
statistical techniques etc.) to scientific communication(science
output, science policy, science administration etc.) with the
objectives of;
I. Developing science indicators;
II. Measuring the impact of science on society; and
III. Comparing the output as well as the impact of science at
national and international levels.
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 Tgue- Sutcliffe pointed “Scientometrics “as the study of
quantitative aspects of science as a discipline or economic
activity.
 Dobrov and Karennnol defined it as “ the measurement of
informatics processes”.
 While Mikhilov defined it “ as that scientific discipline that
studies the structure and properties of scientific information
and the laws of processes of scientific discipline devoted to all
quantitative aspects of science and scientific research”12.
 Thus Scientometrics encapsulates research from various walks
of life – historians, philosophers, economists,
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 scientists etc. – from different branches of physics and the
natural sciences I,e science managers and policy makers, and
administrators of
government and non-governmental
organizations, among many others.
 Thus Scientometrics involves studies in :
I. Sociology of science
II. History of science
III. Growth of science and scientific institutions
IV. Behaviour of science and scientists.
V. Science policy and decision- making
Scientometrics Indicators
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Impact Factor:
Impact factor was first described by Dr. Eugene Garfield in
1955. It is a measure of importance of scientific journals which
is widely used to rank and evaluate journals.
This is used as Scientometrics indicators for evaluating journals
impact factor.
It is a quasi-qualitative indicator which provides a measurement
of the prestige and international visibility of journals.
“It is the number of current citations to articles published in a
specific journals in a two years period divided by the total
number of articles published in the same journal in the
corresponding two years period.”
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H-Index:
H-Index has introduced by, Hirsch for quantify an
individual’s scientific research output.
It attempts to measure; both the scientific productivity and the
apparent scientific impact of a scientist.
This index is based on the set of the scientist’s most cited
papers and the number of citations that they have received in
other people’s publications.
Vinkler (2007) reveals that the Scientometrics cannot offer a
simple consistent method for measuring the scientific eminence
of individuals. According to him the h-index was found
applicable for evaluating publication of senior scientists with
similar publishing features.
Scientometrics tools
The quantitative as well as qualitative analysis of any
Scientometrics study, such as citation mapping, visualization,
bibliographic coupling, co- authorship network, co-words
mapping etc. are carried out by using Scientometrics tools. This
tools are very much useful for Scientrometricians for mapping
their parameters in any accept of their study.
Tool
Authormap
Bibcouple
Purpose
Type
It is used for citation mapping
Web tool
and visualization
It is used for visualization of the Software
bibliographic coupling among
application
authors
Citespace
It is used for visualizing patterns Map
and trends in scientific literature
Fulltext
It is software for co-word
mapping of full texts
Software
application
HitCite
Bibliographic analysis and
visualization software
Software
Conclusion
Scientometrics analysis use data on numbers and author
of scientific publication and on articles and the citations therein
to measure the output of countries, identify national and
international networks, and to map the developments of new
fields of science and technology. As well as to known the inner
logic of science development.