TY - JOUR
T1 - An overview of scientometric mapping for the safety science community
T2 - Methods, tools, and framework
AU - Li, Jie
AU - Goerlandt, Floris
AU - Reniers, Genserik
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Scientometrics analysis is increasingly applied across scientific domains to gain quantitative insights in the development of research on particular (sub-)domains of scientific inquiry. By visualizing metrics containing quantitative information about such a domain, scientometric mapping allows researchers to gain insights in aspects thereof. Methods have been developed to answer specific research questions, focusing e.g. on collaboration networks, thematic research clusters, historic evolution patterns, and trends in topics addressed. Several articles applying scientometric mapping to safety-related topics have been published. In context of the Special Issue ‘Mapping Safety Science – Reviewing Safety Research’, this article first reviews these, and subsequently provides an overview of key concepts, methods, and tools for scientometric mapping. Data sources and freely available tools are introduced, focusing on which research questions these are suited to answer. A brief tutorial-style description of a scientometrics research process is provided, guiding researchers new to this method how to engage with it. Finally, a discussion on best practices in scientometric mapping research is made, focusing on how to obtain reliable and valid results, and how to use the scientometric maps to gain meaningful insights. It is hoped that this work can advance the application of scientometric research within the safety science community.
AB - Scientometrics analysis is increasingly applied across scientific domains to gain quantitative insights in the development of research on particular (sub-)domains of scientific inquiry. By visualizing metrics containing quantitative information about such a domain, scientometric mapping allows researchers to gain insights in aspects thereof. Methods have been developed to answer specific research questions, focusing e.g. on collaboration networks, thematic research clusters, historic evolution patterns, and trends in topics addressed. Several articles applying scientometric mapping to safety-related topics have been published. In context of the Special Issue ‘Mapping Safety Science – Reviewing Safety Research’, this article first reviews these, and subsequently provides an overview of key concepts, methods, and tools for scientometric mapping. Data sources and freely available tools are introduced, focusing on which research questions these are suited to answer. A brief tutorial-style description of a scientometrics research process is provided, guiding researchers new to this method how to engage with it. Finally, a discussion on best practices in scientometric mapping research is made, focusing on how to obtain reliable and valid results, and how to use the scientometric maps to gain meaningful insights. It is hoped that this work can advance the application of scientometric research within the safety science community.
KW - Bibliometrics
KW - Mapping knowledge domains
KW - Safety science
KW - Science mapping
KW - Scientometrics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096724335&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ssci.2020.105093
DO - 10.1016/j.ssci.2020.105093
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85096724335
SN - 0925-7535
VL - 134
JO - Safety Science
JF - Safety Science
M1 - 105093
ER -