Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026
05:02
Comparing Bibliometric Analysis Using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science Databases
Published on: October 24, 2019
Search strategies along the academic lifecycle
Edwin Horlings1, Thomas Gurney
1Science System Assessment Department, Rathenau Institute, The Hague, The Netherlands.
Scientometrics
|February 20, 2013
Summary
Scientists develop research portfolios through distinct academic lifecycle phases. Early career researchers diversify, while established professors maintain stable research areas, influencing scientific field outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Scientometrics
- Physics
- Research Evaluation
Background:
- Understanding individual research portfolio development is crucial for analyzing scientific fields and institutions.
- Existing scientometric tools are insufficient for tracking researchers' involvement in diverse problem areas over time.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and apply a novel scientometric method for mapping and comparing individual scientists' research portfolios.
- To analyze the research search strategies of condensed matter physicists throughout their academic careers.
Main Methods:
- Development of a scientometric method to map and measure individual research output.
- Analysis of publication and research trail data for 43 condensed matter physicists.
- Formulation and empirical testing of six propositions regarding research portfolio development.
Main Results:
- Four propositions confirmed: research consists of multiple trails, scientists pursue parallel trails, roles change over the lifecycle, and portfolios converge before diverging.
- The fifth proposition (career changes influencing research trails) was rejected.
- The sixth proposition (reputational gain influencing research trails) was inconclusive.
- Distinct search strategies identified across academic phases: PhD (single, unconnected area), Postdoc (diversification), Professor (stable leadership).
Conclusions:
- Individual research portfolio development follows predictable patterns across the academic lifecycle.
- The postdoctoral phase is critical for research diversification and network expansion.
- Established professors consolidate research areas and guide junior scientists' work.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Life Histories
Overview
01:40Archival Research
Some researchers gain access to large amounts of data without interacting with a single research participant. Instead, they use existing records to answer various research questions. This type of research approach is known as archival research. Archival research relies on looking at past records or data sets to look for interesting patterns or relationships. For example, a researcher might access the academic records of all individuals who enrolled in college within the past ten years and...
01:50Cross-Sectional Research
In cross-sectional research, a researcher compares multiple segments of the population at the same time. If they were interested in people's dietary habits, the researcher might directly compare different groups of people by age. Instead of following a group of people for 20 years to see how their dietary habits changed from decade to decade, the researcher would study a group of 20-year-old individuals and compare them to a group of 30-year-old individuals and a group of 40-year-old...
01:26Metacognition
Metacognition is a conscious process where individuals are aware of their cognitive and executive processes, such as planning before solving a problem or self-monitoring during reading. For instance, a writer may need help with composing a piece. The situation involves a writer who is working on a piece of writing, but while doing so, they realize that something is missing. They notice that their characters lack depth or details. This realization occurs because the writer is reflecting on their...
01:26Longitudinal Studies
Longitudinal studies are also widely used in other medical and social science fields. For instance, in cardiovascular research, they can monitor patients' health over decades to identify risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol or smoking, and evaluate the long-term effectiveness of preventive measures. Similarly, in mental health studies, researchers might follow individuals from adolescence into adulthood to understand the development and progression of conditions like...
02:20Longitudinal Research
Sometimes we want to see how people change over time, as in studies of human development and lifespan. When we test the same group of individuals repeatedly over an extended period of time, we are conducting longitudinal research. Longitudinal research is a research design in which data-gathering is administered repeatedly over an extended period of time. For example, we may survey a group of individuals about their dietary habits at age 20, retest them a decade later at age 30, and then again...