<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><sec id="j_jdis.201624_s_006_w2aab2b8c45b1b7b1aab1c15b1Aa"><h3>Purpose</h3><p>To present a method for systematically mapping diversity of publication patterns at the author level in the social sciences and humanities in terms of publication type, publication language and co-authorship.</p></sec><sec id="j_jdis.201624_s_007_w2aab2b8c45b1b7b1aab1c15b2Aa"><h3>Design/methodology/approach</h3><p>In a follow-up to the hard partitioning clustering by Verleysen and Weeren in 2016, we now propose the complementary use of fuzzy cluster analysis, making use of a membership coefficient to study gradual differences between publication styles among authors within a scholarly discipline. The analysis of the probability density function of the membership coefficient allows to assess the distribution of publication styles within and between disciplines.</p></sec><sec id="j_jdis.201624_s_008_w2aab2b8c45b1b7b1aab1c15b3Aa"><h3>Findings</h3><p>As an illustration we analyze 1,828 productive authors affiliated in Flanders, Belgium. Whereas a hard partitioning previously identified two broad publication styles, an international one <italic>vs</italic>. a domestic one, fuzzy analysis now shows gradual differences among authors. Internal diversity also varies across disciplines and can be explained by researchers’ specialization and dissemination strategies.</p></sec><sec id="j_jdis.201624_s_009_w2aab2b8c45b1b7b1aab1c15b4Aa"><h3>Research limitations</h3><p>The dataset used is limited to one country for the years 2000–2011; a cognitive classification of authors may yield a different result from the affiliation-based classification used here.</p></sec><sec id="j_jdis.201624_s_010_w2aab2b8c45b1b7b1aab1c15b5Aa"><h3>Practical implications</h3><p>Our method is applicable to other bibliometric and research evaluation contexts, especially for the social sciences and humanities in non-Anglophone countries.</p></sec><sec id="j_jdis.201624_s_011_w2aab2b8c45b1b7b1aab1c15b6Aa"><h3>Originality/value</h3><p>The method proposed is a novel application of cluster analysis to the field of bibliometrics. Applied to publication patterns at the author level in the social sciences and humanities, for the first time it systematically documents intra-disciplinary diversity.</p></sec></abstract>

PurposeTo present a method for systematically mapping diversity of publication patterns at the author level in the social sciences and humanities in terms of publication type, publication language and co-authorship.Design/methodology/approachIn a follow-up to the hard partitioning clustering by Verleysen and Weeren in 2016, we now propose the complementary use of fuzzy cluster analysis, making use of a membership coefficient to study gradual differences between publication styles among authors within a scholarly discipline. The analysis of the probability density function of the membership coefficient allows to assess the distribution of publication styles within and between disciplines.FindingsAs an illustration we analyze 1,828 productive authors affiliated in Flanders, Belgium. Whereas a hard partitioning previously identified two broad publication styles, an international one vs. a domestic one, fuzzy analysis now shows gradual differences among authors. Internal diversity also varies across disciplines and can be explained by researchers’ specialization and dissemination strategies.Research limitationsThe dataset used is limited to one country for the years 2000–2011; a cognitive classification of authors may yield a different result from the affiliation-based classification used here.Practical implicationsOur method is applicable to other bibliometric and research evaluation contexts, especially for the social sciences and humanities in non-Anglophone countries.Originality/valueThe method proposed is a novel application of cluster analysis to the field of bibliometrics. Applied to publication patterns at the author level in the social sciences and humanities, for the first time it systematically documents intra-disciplinary diversity.

Mapping Diversity of Publication Patterns in the Social Sciences and Humanities: An Approach Making Use of Fuzzy Cluster Analysis

Centre for Research & Development Monitoring (ECOOM), Faculty of Social Sciences

Journal of Data and Information Science

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

PurposeTo present a method for systematically mapping diversity of publication patterns at the author level in the social sciences and humanities in terms of...

Mapping Diversity of Publication Patterns in the Social Sciences and Humanities: An Approach Making Use of Fuzzy Cluster Analysis

Article Category: Research Paper

Published Online: Sep 01, 2017

Page range: 33 - 59

Received: Aug 02, 2016

Accepted: Aug 24, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.20309/jdis.201624

Keywords
Bibliometrics, Social sciences and humanities, Publication patterns, Dissemination, Cluster analysis

© 2016 Frederik T. Verleysen, Arie Weeren

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Mapping Diversity of Publication Patterns in the Social Sciences and Humanities: An Approach Making Use of Fuzzy Cluster Analysis

Article Category: Research Paper

Published Online: Sep 01, 2017

Page range: 33 - 59

Received: Aug 02, 2016

Accepted: Aug 24, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.20309/jdis.201624

KeywordsBibliometrics, Social sciences and humanities, Publication patterns, Dissemination, Cluster analysis

© 2016 Frederik T. Verleysen, Arie Weeren

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
Bibliometrics, Social sciences and humanities, Publication patterns, Dissemination, Cluster analysis