Measuring the Cuban scientific output in scholarly journals through a comprehensive coverage approach

Abstract

The Cuban scientific output in Cuban and foreign indexed academic journals was analyzed. Total output and longitudinal trends were identified through a multi-database unified record approach considering thirteen databases and indexes for foreign and national journals (Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, Biosis, Current Contents Connect, Zoological Record, Pubmed/Medline, SciELO Citation Index, Pascal and Francis, CABI Websites, CLASE and PERIÓDICA, and AGRIS), three open access databases (SciELO, Redalyc and Dialnet), two Cuban digital libraries of scholarly journals (Health Virtual Library (BVS) and InfoAgro) and 200 national certified academic journals. Cuban journals were analyzed mainly from publishers’ collections, library services or open access databases. From 2000 to 2016, it was found that the national output doubled from 2000 until 2015 (over 8000 articles) and close below that mark in 2016. Overall, the Cuban scientific output in Cuban journals increased, both by space of publication available (journals) and by article production. By the contrary, it stabilized in indexed foreign journals since 2014 on, with a slight tendency to grow until 2018. Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection accounted for 66.74 and 61.68%, respectively, of the output in foreign journals. It is shown for the first time that roughly 22% of the Cuban yearly scientific output is published in foreign journals, whilst the highest quality and most visible part of it by indexing. This is the first study approaching the entire Cuban output in scholarly journals, regardless journal origin.