Visualizing the structure of scientific output of Iranian scholars in Science Citation Index (SCI) during 2000-2006

Abstract

To visualize the structure of Iranian scientific output in Science Citation Index (SCI), accessible via Web of Science (WOS), during 2000-2006, we used scientometric techniques and HistCite software. The number of Iranian documents indexed in SCI during the study period was 24480. Generally HistCite analyzes citation data on two different levels: based on citations in WOS (Global Citation Scale), and citations in collection of retrieved documents (Local Citation Scale). The results of this study showed that, in the study period a total of 8 clusters have been formed on the two levels (GCS and LCS): Clusters 1 and 2 (with 3 sub-clusters) in GCS and clusters 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 in LCS. The subject area of whole clusters was chemistry, but different areas of this discipline. The prominent subject area in our study was organic chemistry. The most effective document in this study was an article by Zolfigol with 123 global citations and 71 local citations. The subject category of cluster 1 was analytical chemistry and membrane electrodes. Cluster 2 consists of 3 sub-clusters (sub-cluster 1 hydrocarbons, sub-cluster 2 in the field of oxidation and nitrogen, and sub-cluster 3 catalysts). Cluster 4 was crystal structure, cluster 5 electrochemical analysis, cluster 6 macro cycles, cluster 7 aliphatic and aromatic complexes and the 8th cluster was polymers. © 2010 Springer-Verlag.