Skip to main content
Log in

Third World Countries (TWC) research publications by disciplines: A country-by-country citation analysis

  • Published:
Scientometrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper discusses the publications of Third World Countries (TWC) in theScience Citation Index by disciplines. TWC documents which were nationally cross-linked at least 20 times were identified and their citing documents categorised into seven disciplines. The top 12 TWC are discussed vis-à-vis their population, Gross National Product, and the extent of participation usingobserved rates of contribution in each discipline andexpected rates based on numbers of citations received. Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Chile, appeared most frequently in the top five ranks in each of the seven disciplines; however, none of these countries had neither the largest population nor the highest GNP per capita. Overall observed rates exceeded expected rates in all but two disciplines: Biomedicine and Agriculture. Physics & Engineering had the highest overall observed rate with the top five TWC exceeding the overall and their individual expected rates. Brazil and Venezuela led by exceeding their expected rates in four of the seven disciplines.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References and notes

  1. P. Bourke, L. Butler, B. Biglia,Monitoring Research in the Periphery: Australia and the ISI Indices, Research evaluation and policy project monograph series No. 3. Canberra, Research School of Social Sciences, The Australian National University, 1996, p. 1.

    Google Scholar 

  2. B. Cronin,The Citation Process: The Role and Significance of Citations in Scientific Communication, Oxford: Taylor Graham, 1984, p. 17.

    Google Scholar 

  3. S. Arunachalam, K. Manorama, Are citation-based quantitative techniques adequate for measuring science on the periphery?Scientometrics, 15 (1989) 393–408.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. S. Arunachalam, K. Manorama, How do journals on the periphery compare with mainstream scientific journals?Scientometrics, 14 (1988) 83–95.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. E. Garfield, Mapping science in the Third World,Science and Public Policy, 10 (1983) No. 3, 112–127.

    Google Scholar 

  6. F. Osareh, C. S. Wilson, Scientific productivity and impact of the Third World Countries (TWC): A citation study. In:Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference of the International Society for Scientometrics and Informetrics. Rosary College. June 7–10, 1995. Medford, NJ., Learned Information, 1995, pp. 403–412.

    Google Scholar 

  7. B. Reeves, C. Borgman. A bibliometric evaluation of core journals in communication research,Human Communication Research, 10 (1983) No. 1, 119–136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. A detailed explanation of the data collection procedures and methodology can be obtained from the following PhD dissertation:F. Osareh,Evaluation and Measurement of Third World Countries' Research Publications: A Citation and Country-by-Country Citation Study. PhD Dissertation. Sydney, NSW, Australia, University of New South Wales, School of Information, Library and Archive Studies, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Science Citation Index 1985–1989: Five Year Cumulation: an International Interdisciplinary Index to the Literature of Science, Medicine, Agriculture, Technology, and the Behavioral Sciences, Guide and lists of source publications, Philadelphia, ISI Press, 1991, pp. 113–131.

  10. H. Small, E. Garfield, The geography of science: disciplinary and national mapping,Journal of Information Science, 11 (1985) No. 4, 147–159.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Calculations for observed and expected rates are based onSmall & Garfield, 1985, p. 151. See reference in footnote [10] above.H. Small, E. Garfield, The geography of science: disciplinary and national mapping,Journal of Information Science, 11 (1985) No. 4, 147–159.

    Google Scholar 

  12. G. T. Kurian (Ed.)Encyclopedia of the Third World, 4th ed. New York, Facts on File, 3 vols, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  13. This program was started in the mid-1980s; it was intended to form links between scientists in the European Community (EC) and their colleagues in the Asian, Latin American and Mediterranean (ALAMed) countries. The program provides one-year post-doctoral fellowships to ALAMed scientists to visit an EC laboratory for planning joint research projects; holds workshops to focus and stimulate research; and helps in the submission of fellowships and research project proposals. See Ref. 13 below.

    Google Scholar 

  14. G. Lewison, A. Fawcett-Jones, C. Kessler, Latin American scientific output 1986–91 and international co-authorship patterns,Scientometrics, 27 (1993) 317–336.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Reasons for exclusion of India were articulated in the paper byOsareh & Wilson (1995). See Ref. 6 above.

    Google Scholar 

  16. W. W. Gibbs, Lost science in the Third World,Scientific American, 273 (1995) No. 2, 76–83.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Osareh, F., Wilson, C.S. Third World Countries (TWC) research publications by disciplines: A country-by-country citation analysis. Scientometrics 39, 253–266 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02458529

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02458529

Keywords

Navigation