Measuring the extent to which a research domain is self-contained

Title: Measuring the extent to which a research domain is self-contained
Format: Conference
Publication Date: December 2013
Description: For several years we have been working to measure cross-disciplinarity, especially trying to determine interdisciplinary integration of diverse knowledge. Existing indicators, particularly our own Integration and Diffusion scores, speak to disciplinary engagement, but not directly to whether knowledge is being transferred from areas heretofore not wellconnected to a research domain. This paper introduces simple metrics that gauge 1) the extent to which a research domain references papers generated within that domain vs. outside publications, and 2) the extent to which a domain's publications are cited within itself vs. outside. We address three emerging technologies as case research domains - Nano-Enabled Drug Delivery, Hybrid & Electric Vehicles, and Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. We first tabulate and map their disciplinary locations based on Web of Science Categories. We then calculate the new metrics to offer additional perspectives on knowledge diffusion. © AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH Vienna 2013.
Ivan Allen College Contributors:
Citation: 2. 1188 - 1201.
Related Departments:
  • School of Public Policy