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Do types of collaboration change citation? A scientometric analysis of social science publications in South Africa

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  • Radhamany Sooryamoorthy

    (University of KwaZulu-Natal)

Abstract

Scientometric studies have, by and large, focused on the features of the hard sciences rather than the soft sciences. Prior research has been highly centered around natural science disciplines and not many studies have dealt with the social sciences. This applies to Africa as well. However, attempts to investigate the features and tendencies in the social sciences are gradually emerging. This is the first paper to explore the social sciences in South Africa, examining the interrelationships between the types of collaboration and the impact of research publications as measured in the count of citations. Extracting Web of Science data from its Social Science Citation Index (from 1956 to present) for sampled years between 1970 and 2015 (n = 4991), the analysis explains citations in terms of the type of collaboration, international partners and subject areas. The highlights of this analysis are that the social sciences in South Africa have certain distinguishing characteristics that determine the production and impact on knowledge.

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  • Radhamany Sooryamoorthy, 2017. "Do types of collaboration change citation? A scientometric analysis of social science publications in South Africa," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 111(1), pages 379-400, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:111:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1007_s11192-017-2265-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-017-2265-6
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    6. Toluwase Asubiaro, 2019. "How collaboration type, publication place, funding and author’s role affect citations received by publications from Africa: A bibliometric study of LIS research from 1996 to 2015," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 120(3), pages 1261-1287, September.
    7. Kaile Gong & Ying Cheng, 2022. "Patterns and impact of collaboration in China’s social sciences: cross-database comparisons between CSSCI and SSCI," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(10), pages 5947-5964, October.
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