DataCite as a novel bibliometric source: Coverage, strengths and limitations

Nicolas Robinson-Garcia, Philippe Mongeon, Wei Jeng and Rodrigo Costas

Journal of Informetrics, 2017, vol. 11, issue 3, 841-854

Abstract: This paper explores the characteristics of DataCite to determine its possibilities and potential as a new bibliometric data source to analyze the scholarly production of open data. Open science and the increasing data sharing requirements from governments, funding bodies, institutions and scientific journals has led to a pressing demand for the development of data metrics. As a very first step towards reliable data metrics, we need to better comprehend the limitations and caveats of the information provided by sources of open data. In this paper, we critically examine records downloaded from the DataCite’s OAI API and elaborate a series of recommendations regarding the use of this source for bibliometric analyses of open data. We highlight issues related to metadata incompleteness, lack of standardization, and ambiguous definitions of several fields. Despite these limitations, we emphasize DataCite’s value and potential to become one of the main sources for data metrics development.

Keywords: Data sharing; Data citations; Bibliometric sources; Open data; Data infrastructure; Data metrics; DataCite (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:infome:v:11:y:2017:i:3:p:841-854

DOI: 10.1016/j.joi.2017.07.003

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