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VOLUME 1 , ISSUE 1 ( January-March, 2022 ) > List of Articles

REVIEW ARTICLE

Scientometrics: The Imperative for Scientific Validity of the Scientific Publications Content

Izet Masic

Keywords : Citation, Google Scholar Index, H-Index, IF, Scientific publications, Scientometry, Validity

Citation Information : Masic I. Scientometrics: The Imperative for Scientific Validity of the Scientific Publications Content. 2022; 1 (1):56-80.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-11005-0017

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 06-05-2022

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2022; The Author(s).


Abstract

Background: Scientometry is a part of Scientology (the science of science) that analyzes scientific articles and their citation in a selected sample of scientific journals. The basic part of scientometry is bibliometrics, which was introduced in the 1970s to mark quantitative research on communication processes by applying appropriate mathematical and statistical methods to published publications. Scientific research is the only real way and method for the proliferation of true knowledge in all spheres of science, but also in academic institutions. The ability to study a scientific problem is the highest level of knowledge. Medical, and in a broader sense biomedical scientific research, is a process of systematic research of current and important health problems related to defined aspects of physical, mental, or social well-being of the population of local, regional or global character. Objective/Aim: This article aims to present the current tools available in scientometry for the evaluation of the scientific validity of published articles and explain the purpose. Materials and Methods: The author searched the most influential online databases and analyzed deposited papers on the topic of scientometrics and used the descriptive method of reviewing important facts about experiences with scientometrics in the scientific and academic practice. Results and discussion: Researchers in medical research examine biological, socioeconomic, and environmental factors in which we live and work, which affect health and contribute to illness, disability, or death. The most important satisfaction for any scientist should be the realization that the result of research in a certain way in the future will affect at least one person to be healthier, which should be fundamental to the realization of research in practice—at universities or specialized scientific laboratories and institutes. The format of scientific articles can vary greatly from journal to journal. Nevertheless, many of them follow the IMRAD scheme, recommended by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), or the BOMRAD form, recommended by the author of this article. Scientometrics analyzes scientific articles and their citation in a selected sample of scientific journals. Bibliometrics denotes quantitative research of communication processes by applying appropriate mathematical and statistical methods to books and other communication media. Bibliometric methods are used for quantitative analysis of written materials. Citation provides guidelines for scientific work because it stimulates scientists to deal with the most current areas of research, organizes scientific article at the world level, or shapes and directs it. Citation is influenced by: article quality, understanding of the article, language in which the article is written, loyalty to a group of researchers, article type, etc. Some of the indicators used in the evaluation of scientific work are Impact factor (IF); Citation of the article; Journal citations; Number and order of authors, etc. The impact factor is the number of citations of articles published in the journal during the previous two years divided by the total number of articles published in the journal during the same period. The factor of influence depends on the quality of the journal, the language in which it was printed, the area it covers, and the journal distribution system. In this article, we pointed out that the h-Index presents one of a set of valuable measures to determine scientific excellence (bibliometrics recognize also m-value as useful). Although the Hirsch index (h-Index) is a better measure than a citation impact factor (IF), it is still based on the opinions of other authors. Conclusion: Since research in medicine can affect the improvement of clinical and public health practices, it is necessary to conduct them. Only quality research with exact results offers the scientific community new information about the examined problem, the researcher's satisfaction, the possibility of communicating and conducting scientific dialogue with other members of the academic community, and opening opportunities to receive a critical review of those who have insight into the research.


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