The use of bibliometric analysis in research performance assessment and monitoring of interdisciplinary scientific developments

This paper presents an overview of advanced bibliometric methods for (1) objective and transparent assessment of strengths and weaknesses in research performance, and (2) monitoring interdisciplinary scientific developments. In the first application, we focus on the detailed analysis of research performance in an international comparative perspective. We demonstrate that advanced bibliometric methods are, particularly at the level of research groups, university departments and institutes, an indispensable element next to peer review in research evaluation procedures. We address specific problems for the social sciences. In the second application, monitoring of scientific (basic and applied) developments, recent advances in bibliometric mapping techniques are promising. They are unique instruments to discover patterns in the structure of scientific fields, to identify processes of knowledge dissemination, and to visualize the dynamics of scientific developments. We discuss briefly their potential for unraveling interdisciplinary developments and interfaces between science and technology.