Characterizing Core Journals in Ophthalmology Literature Using Bradford's Law: A Bibliometric Analysis

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Bibliometrics
• Scientific Literature Analysis

Background:

• Ophthalmology research is rapidly expanding, making it difficult for professionals to stay current.
• Identifying core journals is crucial for efficient knowledge acquisition in ophthalmology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To apply Bradford's law to identify and characterize the core journals in ophthalmology research.
• To provide a bibliometric basis for understanding the distribution of ophthalmology literature.

Main Methods:

• A bibliometric analysis was conducted using a citation database compiled from top ophthalmology journals.
• Bradford's law was applied to categorize journals into three zones based on citation frequency.
• Journal selection was based on h-index and impact factor from the National Library of Medicine index.

Main Results:

• A total of 3093 journals were cited in ophthalmology literature during the study period.
• Bradford's law identified three distinct zones of journals, with Zone 1 (core) containing six highly influential journals.
• A strong linear relationship (R² = 0.996) validated the application of Bradford's law.

Conclusions:

• Six core ophthalmology journals were identified as high-yield resources for current research.
• These core journals are recommended for ophthalmology trainees, researchers, and educators.
• The identified journals facilitate efficient access to significant advancements in the field.