Dataset
Random sample of Clarivate analytics most cited scholars (2018)
University of the Sunshine Coast
2019
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25907/5dcb50f43f5c9
Appears in UniSC Research Data Collection
Abstract
Clarivate Analytics, managers of Web of Science, publishes an annual listing of highly cited researchers. The opening sentence of the 2019 report asks, "Who would contest that in the race for knowledge it is human capital that is most essential?". They state that "talent - including intelligence, creativity, ambition, and social competence (where needed) - outpaces other capacities such as access to funding and facilities". This contradicts the findings of Sinay et al. (2019), who found that the algorithm used by search engines, including the Web of Science, is possibly more influential than human capital. Using Clarivate Analytics' database for 2018, we investigated which factors are most relevant in the impact race. Rather than human capital alone, we found that language, gender, funding and facilities introduce bias to assessments and possibly prevent talent and discoveries from emerging. We found that the profile of the highly cited scholars is so narrow that it may compromise the validity of scientific knowledge, because it is biased towards the perception and interests of male scholars affiliated with very-highly-developed countries where English is commonly spoken. These scholars accounted for 80 percent of the random sample analyzed; absent were women from Latin-America, Africa, Asia and Oceania; and scholars affiliated with institutions in low-human-development countries. Ninety-eight percent of the published research came from institutions in very-highly-developed countries. Providing evidence that challenges the view that 'talent is the primary driver of scientific advancement' is important because search engines, such as the Web of Science, can modify their algorithms. This would ensure the work of scholars that do not fit the currently dominant profile can have their importance elevated so that their findings can more equitably contribute to knowledge development. This, in turn, will increase the validity of scientific enquiry. Data was collected from Clarivate Analytics
Details
- Title
- Random sample of Clarivate analytics most cited scholars (2018)
- Authors
- Laura Sinay (Data Collector) - University of the Sunshine Coast
- Format
- MS Excel file; 1 file (76KB)
- Publisher
- University of the Sunshine Coast
- Date collected
- 2018
- Date published
- 2019
- DOI
- 10.25907/5dcb50f43f5c9
- Copyright note
- Copyright © 2019 Laura Sinay. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Social Sciences - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Sustainability Research Cluster
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99450645402621
- Output Type
- Dataset
- Research Statement
- false
Metrics
14 File views/ downloads
318 Record Views