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The Size of Fields in Biomedical Sciences.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|July 3, 2023
Summary
Estimating research field size using unique author counts reveals significant differences in biomedical subfields, particularly in microbiology. This method tracks workforce changes over time, aiding resource allocation and research analysis.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical research
- Microbiology
- Scientometrics
Background:
- Scientific output is growing exponentially, but field sizes are difficult to estimate.
- Understanding field dynamics is crucial for allocating research resources effectively.
Approach:
- Estimated biomedical field sizes using unique author counts from PubMed publications.
- Focused on microbiology to analyze subfield size variations.
- Tracked unique investigator numbers over time to identify field growth or decline.
Key Points:
- Significant variations exist in the sizes of microbiology subfields.
- Plotting unique investigators over time can indicate field expansion or contraction.
- Unique author counts can measure workforce strength and field overlap.
Conclusions:
- Unique author count is a viable metric for assessing research field size and workforce dynamics.
- This approach can inform resource allocation, workforce analysis, and correlation with funding and public health impact.
