Bibliometrics from the library

The library can help you with bibliometric analysis. Bibliometrics are ideal for analysing and evaluating scientific production and authorship.

Published 10. Oct. 2020. Updated on 01. Mar. 2024

What are bibliometrics?

Bibliometrics is a quantitative method used to analyse and evaluate scientific production and authorship. It is important to understand that bibliometrics must be used together with qualitative evaluation methods to provide a complete picture.

Bibliometrics from the University Library

The library offers:

Publication analysis
Citation analysis
Guidance in how to increase the visibility of your research
Guidance on which publication channels you should choose

Why are bibliometrics important?

Researchers and institutions are working with limited resources relying on result-based financing. Bibliometrics are an ideal method for evaluation and comparing research and research production.

How can you use bibliometrics?

Bibliometrics are used to evaluate and compare researchers and their scientific publishing production. You as a researcher can use bibliometrics to track and evaluate your own career progress. Bibliometrics are also an important tool when applying for grants and research support. Trends for an institutions scientific production and quality can be tracked and visualised through bibliometric data.

Important key parameters

Some key parameters in bibliometrics:

Number of publications
Number of citations
H-index
Impact Factor
International collaboration

Some problems surrounding bibliometrics

Focusing on bibliometric indicators can be problematic. In order to use bibliometric data, you have to consider other factors. It is important to understand that different scientific fields and researchers have different practices, and this can affect bibliometric data and results.

Science and technological fields usually have a higher publication rate of scientific articles, whilst there are more books published in humanities and social science. Different scientific fields will therefore need a different balance between quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods.

At UiS we follow the Leiden-manifesto for research methods.