Evaluation of the scientific production from Scielo periodicals, in the area of information science, about the subject metric studies

Abstract

The scientific production of periodicals that belong to the SciELO database in the area of Information Science specifically to the subject metric studies is evaluated in a two-years period. The existing trends in the scientific community, related to this thematic, have been analyzed in the following variables: specific subsubjects approached, institutions of origin, co-authors, more cited periodicals, native country and language, with the purpose of characterizing and subsidizing the current vision of research trends in this subject. The most frequent subjects are the scientific production and the questions connected to the evaluation of periodicals, evaluation of the scientific production through metric indicators, such as, impact factor and citation analysis, totalizing 48% of articles; followed by webometric, link, informetric, scientometric and bibliometric evaluations; and, finally, quantitative methods in general, these in minor percentage. The hotter questions in the subject, such as domain analysis and scientific communication nets, are seldom contemplated. The most productive institution is the Universidade de São Paulo, including its system of libraries (20%), followed by foreign universities from Spain, Mexico, United States, Uruguay, Belgium and France (17,77%), (demonstrating the international character of the SciELO base and the dissemination of the subject), and, later, the universities of the different States of Brazil with great dispersion. The analysis of others variables is still in progress. In conclusion, we point out the importance of the evaluations of scientific production for the visibility of the science, because it points the routes taken in the national and international scope, supplies a panorama of the most productive institutions and research groups inside this thematic, and provides a panoramic view of the Information Science area, that is having more and more relevance. We recommend extending the evaluation be extended to others themes, database or electronic libraries.