Bibliometrics of Basic Research

摘要

As part of its project 'Basic Research for the 1990s' the Office of TechnologyAssessment (OTA) is attempting to construct an information baseline on the scientific research enterprise in the U.S. The baseline will be used to assess developments in the coming decade. Citation is one of the principal mechanisms for recognizing the work of others for its utility or relevance to ones work. References are a common feature of scientific publications, and by counting how often publications are cited, bibliometrics can arrive at a weighted measure of publication output, which counts not only whether publications have been produced but what impact those publications have had on the work of other scientists. The project involved two general tasks: to generate bibliometric profiles for U.S. academic institutions which would reflect changes in the impact of basic research carried out at these institutions; and to devise new kinds of bibliometric indicators which would help characterize the basic research enterprise in the U.S.