Open Access

Visualization of Disciplinary Profiles: Enhanced Science Overlay Maps

Stephen Carley
Stephen Carley
, 
Alan L. Porter
Alan L. Porter
, 
Ismael Rafols
Ismael Rafols
 and 
Loet Leydesdorff
Loet Leydesdorff
   | Aug 22, 2017
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Article Category: Research Paper
Published Online: Aug 22, 2017
Page range: 68 - 111
Received: May 20, 2017
Accepted: Jul 21, 2017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jdis-2017-0015
Keywords
© 2017 Stephen Carley, Alan L. Porter, Ismael Rafols & Loet Leydesdorff
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to modernize previous work on science overlay maps by updating the underlying citation matrix, generating new clusters of scientific disciplines, enhancing visualizations, and providing more accessible means for analysts to generate their own maps.

Design/methodology/approach

We use the combined set of 2015 Journal Citation Reports for the Science Citation Index (n of journals = 8,778) and the Social Sciences Citation Index (n = 3,212) for a total of 11,365 journals. The set of Web of Science Categories in the Science Citation Index and the Social Sciences Citation Index increased from 224 in 2010 to 227 in 2015. Using dedicated software, a matrix of 227 × 227 cells is generated on the basis of whole-number citation counting. We normalize this matrix using the cosine function. We first develop the citing-side, cosine-normalized map using 2015 data and VOSviewer visualization with default parameter values. A routine for making overlays on the basis of the map (“wc15.exe”) is available at http://www.leydesdorff.net/wc15/index.htm.

Findings

Findings appear in the form of visuals throughout the manuscript. In Figures 1–9 we provide basemaps of science and science overlay maps for a number of companies, universities, and technologies.

Research limitations

As Web of Science Categories change and/or are updated so is the need to update the routine we provide. Also, to apply the routine we provide users need access to the Web of Science.

Practical implications

Visualization of science overlay maps is now more accurate and true to the 2015 Journal Citation Reports than was the case with the previous version of the routine advanced in our paper.

Originality/value

The routine we advance allows users to visualize science overlay maps in VOSviewer using data from more recent Journal Citation Reports.

eISSN:
2543-683X
Language:
English
Publication timeframe:
4 times per year
Journal Subjects:
Computer Sciences, Information Technology, Project Management, Databases and Data Mining
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