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Discovering types of research performance of scientists with significant contributions

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  • Yu-Wei Chang

    (National Taiwan University
    National Taiwan University)

  • Dar-Zen Chen

    (National Taiwan University)

  • Mu-Hsuan Huang

    (National Taiwan University)

Abstract

This study compared the longitudinal research performance of 50 biological scientists who received the National Medal of Science (NMS) between 1995 and 2014 and who shared the honor of receiving a fellowship from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Fifty NMS scientists were categorized based on their annual number of publications (research productivity) and their annual average number of citations received per publication (research influence). These categories covered all their articles, conference papers, and review articles before 2018 indexed by databases of Web of Science, divided into three periods. Results demonstrated that the primary type of research productivity was the same as that of research influence, indicating an upward trend in the first period but a decreasing trend in the second and third periods. Few scientists had their influential scientific contributions being practically applied and presented in the format of a book. Research performance among 50 NMS scientists varied at the individual level. However, no aggregate and statistically significant differences were identified between groups of 50 NMS winners with respect to characteristics related to research performance. Although no clear relationship was identified between research performance and scientific contribution, research productivity had a weaker association with scientific contribution than did research influence.

Suggested Citation

  • Yu-Wei Chang & Dar-Zen Chen & Mu-Hsuan Huang, 2020. "Discovering types of research performance of scientists with significant contributions," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 124(2), pages 1529-1552, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:124:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1007_s11192-020-03533-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-020-03533-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Yu-Wei Chang, 2021. "Characteristics of high research performance authors in the field of library and information science and those of their articles," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(4), pages 3373-3391, April.
    2. Manuel Goyanes & Márton Demeter & Aurea Grané & Tamás Tóth & Homero Gil Zúñiga, 2023. "Research patterns in communication (2009–2019): testing female representation and productivity differences, within the most cited authors and the field," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(1), pages 137-156, January.

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