A new mapping approach—using Google Maps—based on statistical significance testing

The methods presented in this paper allow for a spatial analysis revealing centers of excellence around the world using programs that are freely available. Based on Web of Science data, fieldspecific excellence can be identified in cities where highly-cited papers were published. Compared to the mapping approaches published hitherto, our approach is more analytically oriented by allowing the assessment of an observed number of excellent papers for a city against the expected number. With this feature, this approach can not only identify the top performers in output but the “true jewels.” These are cities locating authors who publish significantly more top cited papers than can be expected. As the examples in this paper show for physics, chemistry, and psychology, these cities do not necessarily have a high output of excellent papers.