Routledge Scientometrics for the Humanities and Social Sciences

Scientometrics for the Humanities and Social Sciences is the first ever book on scientometrics that deals with the historical development of both quantitative and qualitative data analysis in scientometric studies. It focuses on its applicability in new and emerging areas of inquiry. This important book presents the inherent potential for data mining and analysis of qualitative data in scientometrics. The author provides select cases of scientometric studies in the humanities and social sciences, explaining their research objectives, sources of data and methodologies. It illustrates how data can be gathered not only from prominent online databases and repositories, but also from journals that are not stored in these databases. With the support of specific examples, the book shows how data on demographic variables can be collected to supplement scientometric data. The book deals with a research methodology which has an increasing applicability not only to the study of science, but also to the study of the disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. Review "I am very impressed by the monograph Scientometrics for the Humanities and Social Sciences by R. Sooryamoorthy. It is the first monograph on Scientometrics I am aware of that is devoted exclusively to the use of scientometric techniques in the study of the humanities and social sciences. It aims to unfold the potential of these techniques to a wide audience. A most interesting and unique feature of the book is the well-designed presentation of a large number of cases illustrating both the methodology itself as well as its application in the study of the development of humanities and social sciences and its numerous subject fields, and in the assessment of research activity and performance. Most importantly, it dedicates attention not only to the potential of these techniques, but also to its limitations and pitfalls. This makes the monograph a valuable and useful piece of work, unmissable for librarians, research managers and policy makers, and researchers in the domain of humanities and social sciences who aim to enlarge their understanding of the uses and limits of scientometric techniques in these domains of science and scholarship." -- Henk F. Moed, Formerly at the Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS), Leiden University, the Netherlands "Scientometric analyses seem straightforward given the availability of apparently clear metrics (on production, citation and other operations of science). And indeed, measurement systems and underlying data collections are continually developing to cope with various difficulties they still face. But, whereas the use of such metrics works quite well for natural science, their application to the social sciences and even worse for the humanities is bedeviled by a further array of problems. Prof. Sooryamoorthy’s book takes us through such issues, placing them in historical context. This guide will be invaluable to neophyte analysts wishing to measure social science." -- Charles Crothers, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand "Scientometrics for the Humanities and Social Sciences provides a compendious overview of the origin of scientometrics and is a perfect collection of illustrative case studies that can guide social scientists to explore their own research fields." -- Valeria Aman, German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies (DZHW), Germany "The field of Scientometrics has cross disciplinary aetiology and relevance especially, within the fields of information systems, information science (particularly bibliometrics and informetrics), science policy, sociology, and other cognate sciences. Therefore, the criticality and potential use of this book in diverse disciplines cannot be underestimated. Furthermore, the increasing importance and the need to report accurately scientific and knowledge production as evidenced in the global ranking of universities tha