Co-word analysis and thematic landscapes in Spanish information science literature, 1985–2014

• Published in: Scientometrics Vol. 113; no. 1; pp. 195 - 217
• Main Authors: Olmeda-Gómez, Carlos, Ovalle-Perandones, Maria-Antonia, Perianes-Rodríguez, Antonio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.10.2017; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Authoring; Bibliometrics; Citation analysis; Cocitation; Colleges & universities; Computer Science; Copy protection; Information Storage and Retrieval; Information systems; Landscape; Libraries; Library and information science; Library Science; Webometrics; World Wide Web; Spain; Co-citation analysis; Scientometrics; Citation networks; Co-word; Information visualisation; Research fronts
• ISSN: 0138-9130; 1588-2861
• DOI: 10.1007/s11192-017-2486-8

This paper discusses the thematic backdrop for Spanish library and information science output. It draws from Web of Science records on papers authored by researchers at Spanish institutions and published under the category ‘Information Science & Library Science’ between 1985 and 2014. Two analytical techniques were used, one based on co-keyword and the other on document co-citation networks. Burst detection was applied to noun phrases and references of the intellectual base. Co-citation analysis identified nine research fronts: ‘digital rights management’, ‘citation analysis’, ‘translation services’, ‘bibliometric analysis’, ‘co-authorship’, ‘electronic books’, ‘webometrics’, ‘information systems’ and ‘world wide web’. The most recent trends in the subject areas addressed in Spain were found to lie in metrics-related sub-specialities: the h-index, scientific collaboration, journal bibliometric indicators, rankings, universities and webometrics.