The Analysis of the Structure of Scientific Collaboration Networks in Basic Medical Sciences in the Science Citation Index from 1996 to 2013

Abstract

The present study aimed to determine the levels of Iranian collaboration and to analyze scientific collaboration network in the area of basic medical sciences, in the Science Citation Index from 1996 to 2013. Scientometric methods and network analysis have been used for the study. The study sample consisted of 1040 articles published in the field of stem cells, molecular medicine and computational biology, subfields of basic medical sciences and science priorities in the comprehensive scientific map, extracted from the Science Citation Index. The results show that Inter-institutional collaboration in the field of basic medical sciences was 23.94%, Intra- institutional collaboration was 52.02%, and the level of international collaboration was 23.08%. The result of macro indicators of collaboration network analysis in this area of the study was as follows: density of networks: 0.018; network clustering coefficient: 0.831; geodesic distance: 3.334; network diameter 9 and network components: 24. The result of micro indicators of Social Network Analysis was as follows: degree centrality: 2.346%; betweenness centrality: 31.69%; closeness centrality: 3.522%; and Eigenvector Centrality: 85.18%. It can be concluded that scientific collaboration network in the basic medical sciences area was not coherent enough and adequate communication and collaboration have not happened.

Keywords

• basic medical sciences
• co-authorship
• iran
• network analysis
• scientific collaboration