An Evaluation of iMetric Studies through the Scholarly Influence Model

Authors

10.35050/JIPM010.2016.018

Abstract

Among the topics studied in the context of scientometrics, the issue of the scholarly influence is of special interest. This study tries to test the components in the scholarly influence model based on iMetrics studies, and also to find potential relations among these components. The study uses a bibliometric methodology. Since the researchers aim to determine the relationship between variables, this research is of correlation type. The initial data of this study, which comprises 5944 records in the field of iMetrics during 1978-2014, have been retrieved from Web of Science. To calculate the most of measures involved in each kind of influence, the researchers used UCINet and BibExcel software moreover, some indices have been calculated manually using Excel. After calculating all measures included in three types of influence, the researchers used the Smart PLS to test both the model and research hypotheses. The results of data analysis using the software Smart PLS confirmed the scholarly influence model and indicated significant correlation between the variables in the model. To be more precise, findings uncovered that social influence is associated with both ideational and venue influence. Moreover, the venue influence is associated with ideational influence. If researchers test the scholarly influence model in some other areas and led to positive outcomes, it is hoped that the policy-makers use a combination of variables involved in the model as a measure to evaluate the scholarly influence of researchers and to decision-makings related to purposes such as promotion, recruitment, and so on.

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