Scientometrics
Volume/Issue:
Volume 86: Issue 1
Scientometrics of big science: a case study of research in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey
Authors: Jian Zhang 1 , Michael S. Vogeley 2 , and Chaomei Chen 1
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  • 1 College of Information Science and Technology, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-2875, USA
  • | 2 Department of Physics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Pages:
1–14
Online Publication Date:
16 Nov 2010
Publication Date:
01 Jan 2011
Article Category:
Research Article
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-010-0318-1
Keywords:
Bibliometric; Entropy analysis; Publication analysis; Sloan Digital Sky Survey; Large-scale scientific project
Restricted access

Abstract

Large-scale scientific projects have become a major impetus of scientific advances. But few studies have specifically analyzed how those projects bolster scientific research. We address this question from a scientometrics perspective. By analyzing the bibliographic records of papers relevant to the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), we found that the SDSS helped scientists from many countries further develop their own research; investigators initially formed large research groups to tackle key problems, while later papers involved fewer authors; and the number of research topics increased but the diversity of topics remains stable. Furthermore, the entropy analysis method has proven valuable in terms of analyzing patterns of research topics at a macroscopic level.

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Cover Scientometrics
Scientometrics
Print ISSN:
0138-9130
Online ISSN:
1588-2861

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Scientometrics
Language English
Size B5
Year of
Foundation		 1978
Volumes
per Year		 1
Issues
per Year		 12
Founder Akadémiai Kiadó
Founder's
Address		 H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245.
Publisher Akadémiai Kiadó
Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Publisher's
Address		 H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245.
CH-6330 Cham, Switzerland Gewerbestrasse 11.
Responsible
Publisher		 Chief Executive Officer, Akadémiai Kiadó
ISSN 0138-9130 (Print)
ISSN 1588-2861 (Online)

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