A Bibliometric Analysis in Web of Science Publications for Obtaining Global Research Trends and Hot Topics in Library and Information Science

Abstract

This research aimed to specify research trends in Library and Information Science (LIS) from 2011 to 2020 and hot papers in this field from July 2020 to July 2021 in the Web of Science (WoS) database. This research was of the type applied, scientometric, and descriptive. The study population was all articles in the field of LIS from 2011 to July 2021. The WoS database was used to collect data. To determine the research trend in the field of LIS, the results were limited to 2011-2020, and to determine the hot papers, this period was limited to July 2020 to July 2021. The obtained data were analyzed using the word co-occurrence technique and social network analysis. UCINET, NetDraw, and VOSviewer software were used to draw scientific maps and identify central subjects and people. "Social media" with 259 and "qualitative" with 53 were the keywords with the highest and lowest frequencies, respectively. Library and emerging technologies (106), citation analysis, scientometrics and webometrics (58), electronic information, information security, and protection (56) were three significant topic clusters in the studied area. The results indicated that the research topics in LIS have changed and evolved in the last ten years despite new and up-to-date topics.

Keywords

• bibliometric analysis
• web of science
• library and information science
• global research trends
• hot topics