Mari Davis

Research contributions in ophthalmology: Australia's productivity

Background: In 2000, the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Ophthalmology (ANZJO) changed title to Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology. At this time, a review of Australias contributions to the literature over the previous 21 years appears timely. Bibliometric indicators are used extensively to assess research performance as they offer views of a field that might not otherwise be apparent. The aim of this study was to explore publication output data to construct a picture of ophthalmology that may be of benefit to researchers and ophthalmologists.

OPHTHALMOLOGY AND OPTICS: AN INFORMETRIC STUDY OF AUSTRALIA'S CONTRIBUTION TO FIELDS IN THE VISION SCIENCE DOMAIN, 1991-95

The paper provides data from a first exploration of the literature of Vision Science as seen bibliometrically through the ISIs three citation indexes, SCI, SSCI, & AHCI. The main focus of analysis is on the major fields of Ophthalmology and Optics (SC=OPTICS and SC=OPHTHALMOLOGY) with a focus on Australias contribution to those literatures. Australias publication frequency vis-á-vis the world, its collaboration with authors from other nations, and the journals in which Australians most frequently publish are shown. Comparison of productivity is made for countries of similar scientific stature, or of language and Commonwealth status.

Object-relational data modelling for informetric databases

Informetric researchers have long chafed at the limitations of bibliographic databases for their analyses, without being able to visualize or develop real solutions to the problem. This paper describes a solution developed to provide for the specialist needs of informetric researchers. In a collaborative exercise between the fields of computer science and informetrics, data modelling was used in order to address the requirements of complex and dynamic informetric data. This paper reports on this modelling experience with its aim of building an object-relational database (ORDB) for informetric research purposes. The paper argues that ORM (object-relational model) is particularly suitable because it allows for the modelling of complex data and accommodates the various data source formats and standards used by a variety of bibliographic databases. Further, ORM captures the dynamic nature of informetric data by allowing user-defined data types and by embedding basic statistical calculating tools as object functions in these user-defined data types. The main ideas of the paper are implemented in an Oracle database management system.

Informing Decision-Making in Libraries: Informetric Research as Input to LIS Education and Practice.

Findings from informetric research represent an important background resource to add to the mix of information useful for resolving difficult and ongoing problems in specific library environments or information service settings. This paper provides examples of informetric research that can be useful input to decision-making in the field of library management and information service provision. This overview takes four of the challenges that Michael Buckland outlined for library research as a way of guiding the discussion of ways that informetric work can be used to inform library decision-making. (1) References are made to relevant informetric work undertaken or conducted in Australia, by Australian researchers, or with Australian data. Informetrics includes both quantitative and qualitative methods, which when used in combination can provide a rounded set of findings that has great validity for management, policy and service applications. Quantitative methodologies are generally based on bibliometric techniques, such as mining and analysis of data from various bibliographic and textual databases. Qualitative methods include survey, case study and historical approaches. Used in combination, each set of findings adds richness and other perspectives to an analysis.

Intellectual structure and subject themes in information systems research: A journal cocitation study

Information Systems (IS) is a discipline in which research and practice are closely intertwined. IS is also closely related to and overlapping several other disciplines, including Information Science. Thus, IS provides an excellent case for examining the interplay of research and practice in a rapidly changing discipline. We explore the intellectual structure and subject themes in Information Systems (IS) research for 1990 to 1999 through the identification and analysis of the fields core journal literature. A core journal list of 100 titles was created and examined with journal cocitation analysis (JSA). JSA demonstrates that IS is a coherent discipline with research ranging from technology-oriented software and hardware to the application of IS in business and organizations. Journals are grouped into seven subject clusters: computer science, computer networking, computer engineering, information science, software engineering, human-computer interaction, and management information systems. Information Science journals occupy a bridging position between technically oriented and application-focused clusters. ASIST publications, JASIST, ARIST, and PASIS, figure prominently in the Information Science cluster.

From bioweapon to biodefense

The biological arms race could have been considered a closed chapter in the Cold War history. However, the growth of different terrorist groups and organisations has increased the threat of biological weapon (BW) use. The goal of this pilot scientometric project was to trace changes in biodefense research and the activities of its main players, Russia and the US. Data were collected from the SCI via the Dialog information system for1991-2000, the period covering the post-soviet era. In-depth content analysis was performed on selected papers from the 2870 publications identified as BW-related. During the period examined, the publication flow increased by 250 percent. The main contributors to this literature were shown to be the US, Russia, UK, France and Germany. The results presented in this paper are of interest to security analysts (following the attacks in the US of 11th September 2001), to public health care policy researchers and to politicians.