New citation-based, dynamic classification scheme developed
in conjunction with CWTS Leiden
LONDON, Feb. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --
Clarivate Plc (NYSE:CLVT), a global leader in providing
trusted information and insights to accelerate the pace of
innovation, today released a report that examines the organization
of information in the global scientific community and introduces a
flexible new data-driven approach to citation-based classification.
The report showcases new technology, developed in
collaboration with the leading academic scientometrics team at
the Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) at Leiden
University in the Netherlands.
Entitled "Data categorization: understanding choices and
outcomes", the report from the Institute for Scientific Information
(ISI)™ outlines existing research categorical systems from around
the world and the analytical consequences of applying them to
national and institutional data. It introduces a new and
highly innovative approach to data aggregation based on trusted
research data in the Web of Science™ citation network. It also
promotes the need for good practice in data management to improve
knowledge, competency and confidence and to ensure the responsible
use of research metrics.
The team's research found that a categorization scheme informed
by article metadata is stronger than one arranged by human
concepts, e.g., those which are journal-based, top-down and use
expert input to split domains into related sub-categories. Instead,
a citation-based classification of articles and reviews
progressively links individual elements into larger units with
shared characteristics based on features in the underlying data.
This innovative approach demonstrated in InCites™ Citation Topics
more accurately represents microclusters, or specialties, provides
more uniform content and improves citation normalization. It also
gives opportunity for novel groups to appear that were not
previously possible with journal-based schemes.
Apart from its wide range of data selections, tests and
visualizations, InCites provides multiple choices of top-down data
classifications and now also offers Citation Topics as a bottom-up
citation-based classification. The current implementation of
Citation Topics is composed of 10 macro topics, 326 meso topics and
2,444 micro topics, with monthly and annual updating built in which
will allow it to evolve over time.
Jonathan Adams, Chief Scientist
at the Institute for Scientific Information at Clarivate and a
co-author of the report said: "There are clear strengths and
weaknesses of the variety of classification systems currently
available, and our aim in introducing Citation Topics is to promote
good practice in data management as part of the responsible use of
research metrics."
Ludo Waltman, Deputy Director at CWTS, Leiden University said:
"Bottom-up citation-based classifications play a prominent role in
many of the scientometric analyses that we carry out at CWTS. It is
great to see that InCites users will now also be able to benefit
from these powerful classifications."
Joel Haspel, SVP Strategy,
Science at Clarivate said: "This new report highlights the evolving
nature of data categorization. It addresses the way we recognize
natural divisions of knowledge and research and how we categorize
publications for discovery, analysis, management and
policy. Being aware of the characteristics and limitations of
the ways we categorize research publications is important to
research management because it influences the way we think about
established and innovative research topics, the way we analyze
research activity and performance, and even the way we set up
organizations to do research."
Notes for editors:
About Clarivate
Clarivate™ is a global leader in providing solutions to accelerate
the lifecycle of innovation. Our bold mission is to help customers
solve some of the world's most complex problems by providing
actionable information and insights that reduce the time from new
ideas to life-changing inventions in the areas of science and
intellectual property. We help customers discover, protect and
commercialize their inventions using our trusted subscription and
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more information, please visit clarivate.com.
Media Contact
Rebecca Krahenbuhl
media.enquiries@clarivate.com
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