This document analyzes scholarly publication patterns in the social sciences and humanities and their coverage in Scopus and Web of Science databases. It finds large variations in coverage between subfields. Journal publications in languages other than English and books are often not well-covered. While Scopus has wider journal coverage, Web of Science indexes more book publishers. Comprehensive coverage of SSH scholarship remains difficult given the diversity of publication types, languages and national or regional levels of dissemination used.

1. Scholarly publication patterns in the social sciences and humanities and their coverage in Scopusand Web of Science
Gunnar Sivertsen
Nordic Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research and Education, Oslo, Norway
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
HealthSciences
NaturalSciences
Engineering
SocialSciences
Humanities
Scopus
Web of Science
Indexedjournals
Journals and series
Books

2. Overview
1.Introduction: Why?
2.Methods: WoS, BCI, and Scopus compared to National CRIS-data
3.Results: Large variations among subfields in the SSH
4.Discussion:
a.Major differences between Elsevier and Thomson Reuters?
b.What types of publications are not covered?
c.Same pattern across countries?
d.What will happen to book publishing and the use of native languages in the SSH?
e.Will it become possible to achieve comprehensive coverage of scholarly publishing in the SSH?

3. Overview
1.Introduction: Why?
2.Methods: WoS, BCI, and Scopus compared to National CRIS-data
3.Results: Large variations among subfields in the SSH
4.Discussion:
a.Major differences between Elsevier and Thomson-Reuters?
b.What types of publications are not covered?
c.Same pattern across countries?
d.What will happen to book publishing and the use of native languages in the SSH?
e.Will it become possible to achieve comprehensive coverage of scholarly publishing in the SH?

4. Why?
The purpose of the study is to discuss the options for an improved coverage of the SSH in international bibliographic data sources in the future.

5. How?
A dataset of more than 70,000 scholarly publications from the eight years 2005-2012, 44 per cent of which are in the SSH, will be used here to study the publication patterns in the SSH and their coverage in Scopus and Web of Science.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Health Sciences
Natural Sciences
Engineering
Social Sciences
Humanities
Scopus
Web of Science

6. How?
Names of publication channels are standardized in the Cristin-data:
Journals or series (ISSN)
Publishers of books (ISBN-)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Health Sciences
Natural Sciences
Engineering
Social Sciences
Humanities
Scopus
Web of Science

7. How?
Only peer-reviewed scholarly publications are included in the comparison:
Articles in journals or series
Articles in books
Books
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Health Sciences
Natural Sciences
Engineering
Social Sciences
Humanities
Scopus
Web of Science

8. Cristin-data arematchedby publicationchannelto the channelscoveredby Scopus, BCI, and WoSin 2013

9. Overview
1.Introduction: Why?
2.Methods: WoS, BCI, and Scopus compared to National CRIS-data
3.Results: Large variations among subfields in the SSH
4.Discussion:
a.Major differences between Elsevier and Thomson Reuters?
b.What types of publications are not covered?
c.Same pattern across countries?
d.What will happen to book publishing and the use of native languages in the SSH?
e.Will it become possible to achieve comprehensive coverage of scholarly publishing in the SH?

10. Coveragein WoSand Scopusofthe HumanitiesScholarlyjournal publishingBasedoncompletedata from the Norwegian HE sector2005-2012
All publications
Journal publications
Subfield
Total
% in journals
% in int. language
% in WoS
% in Scopus
ClassicalStudies
259
66 %
48 %
23 %
26 %
Theatre and Drama
129
66 %
61 %
14 %
29 %
Linguistics
1057
61 %
93 %
39 %
41 %
Ethnology
392
57 %
47 %
12 %
16 %
Literature
764
57 %
31 %
16 %
18 %
Archaeology and Conservation
765
56 %
52 %
26 %
30 %
Slavonic Studies
231
56 %
84 %
17 %
43 %
Architecture and Design
424
54 %
38 %
11 %
24 %
Philosophy and History of Ideas
1121
54 %
45 %
28 %
33 %
Art History
278
54 %
45 %
21 %
25 %
Musicology
403
50 %
43 %
28 %
26 %
Theology and Religion
2126
50 %
42 %
16 %
34 %
History
1645
45 %
44 %
40 %
44 %
Media and Communication
1073
39 %
73 %
19 %
47 %
Asian and African Studies
237
39 %
99 %
42 %
49 %
Germanic Studies
238
38 %
100 %
39 %
37 %
Romance Studies
304
35 %
100 %
47 %
55 %
Scandinavian Studies
1777
35 %
17 %
2 %
2 %
English Studies
329
32 %
100 %
39 %
60 %
Total humanities
13551
49 %
52 %
23 %
32 %

11. Coveragein WoSand Scopusofthe SocialSciences Scholarlyjournal publishingBasedoncompletedata from the Norwegian HE sector2005-2012
All publications
Journal publications
Subfield
Total
% in journals
% in int. language
% in WoS
% in Scopus
Library and Information Science
389
83 %
98 %
56 %
80 %
Psychology
1940
79 %
79 %
66 %
72 %
Geography
853
78 %
86 %
72 %
78 %
Economics
1081
75 %
83 %
73 %
77 %
Business & Administration
2904
63 %
76 %
39 %
57 %
Law
2108
61 %
31 %
6 %
13 %
Anthropology
597
53 %
65 %
32 %
82 %
Gender Studies
358
48 %
38 %
19 %
37 %
Sociology
1157
46 %
60 %
40 %
48 %
PoliticalScience
1655
45 %
76 %
64 %
73 %
Education& EducationalResearch
4861
43 %
51 %
22 %
35 %
Total socialsciences
17903
58 %
66 %
42 %
54 %

12. Coveragein WoSand Scopusofthe SocialSciences Scholarlybook publishingBasedoncompletedata from the Norwegian HE sector2005-2012
Book publications
Subfield
Publications in books
BCI
Scopus
Library and Information Science
58
14 %
5 %
Psychology
158
33 %
8 %
Geography
161
14 %
4 %
Economics
2275
8 %
3 %
Business & Administration
720
20 %
9 %
Law
228
48 %
22 %
Anthropology
244
29 %
9 %
Gender Studies
511
23 %
5 %
Sociology
773
40 %
7 %
PoliticalScience
890
35 %
12 %
Education& EducationalResearch
345
28 %
8 %
Total socialsciences
6363
22 %
7 %

13. Coveragein WoSand Scopusofthe HumanitiesScholarlybook publishingBasedoncompletedata from the Norwegian HE sector2005-2012
Book publications
Subfield
Publications in books
BCI
Scopus
ClassicalStudies
278
9 %
2 %
Theatre and Drama
163
23 %
6 %
Linguistics
129
33 %
19 %
Ethnology
175
45 %
9 %
Literature
441
23 %
8 %
Archaeology and Conservation
80
32 %
12 %
Slavonic Studies
799
13 %
3 %
Architecture and Design
146
5 %
1 %
Philosophy and History of Ideas
112
8 %
0 %
Art History
324
41 %
19 %
Musicology
266
7 %
1 %
Theology and Religion
538
16 %
3 %
History
163
21 %
2 %
Media and Communication
1015
4 %
3 %
Asian and African Studies
168
26 %
3 %
Germanic Studies
93
26 %
1 %
Romance Studies
44
0 %
0 %
Scandinavian Studies
915
16 %
5 %
English Studies
136
24 %
19 %
Total humanities
5977
17 %
5 %

14. Differencesin coverageWith a data sourceas a «standard»: A sourceoftensionsinstead?
All publications
Journal publications
Subfield
Total
% in journals
% in int. language
% in WoS
% in Scopus
Library and Information Science
389
83 %
98 %
56 %
80 %
Psychology
1940
79 %
79 %
66 %
72 %
Geography
853
78 %
86 %
72 %
78 %
Economics
1081
75 %
83 %
73 %
77 %
Business & Administration
2904
63 %
76 %
39 %
57 %
Law
2108
61 %
31 %
6 %
13 %
Anthropology
597
53 %
65 %
32 %
82 %
Gender Studies
358
48 %
38 %
19 %
37 %
Sociology
1157
46 %
60 %
40 %
48 %
Political Science
1655
45 %
76 %
64 %
73 %
Education & Educational Research
4861
43 %
51 %
22 %
35 %
Total
17903
58 %
66 %
42 %
54 %

15. Overview
1.Introduction: Why?
2.Methods: WoS, BCI, and Scopus compared to National CRIS-data
3.Results: Large variations among subfields in the SSH
4.Discussion:
a.Major differences between Elsevier and Thomson Reuters?
b.What types of publications are not covered?
c.Same pattern across countries?
d.What will happen to book publishing and the use of native languages in the SSH?
e.Will it become possible to achieve comprehensive coverage of scholarly publishing in the SH?

16. Major differences?
Scopus: Wider coverage of international and regional journals in the SSH
(WoSmore limited)
Book Citation Index: Wider coverage of international English language publishers in the SSH
(Scopus more limited)

17. Overview
1.Introduction: Why?
2.Methods: WoS, BCI, and Scopus compared to National CRIS-data
3.Results: Large variations among subfields in the SSH
4.Discussion:
a.Major differences between Elsevier and Thomson Reuters?
b.What types of publications are not covered?
c.Same pattern across countries?
d.What will happen to book publishing and the use of native languages in the SSH?
e.Will it become possible to achieve comprehensive coverage of scholarly publishing in the SH?

18. Indexedjournals
Journals and series
Books
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
HealthSciences
NaturalSciences
Engineering
Social Sciences
Humanities
Coverageof70,500 scholarlypublicationsfrom thehighereducationsectorin Norway 2005-2012.
Scopus
Web of Science
Incompletecoverageofinternationaljournals in theSSH.
Verylimitedcoverageofbooks.
Random or nocoverageofthenationallevel(booksand journals)

19. Österreichische Zeitschrift für Politikwissenschaftis covered…

20. ButÖsterreichische Zeitschrift für Soziologie is not covered

21. SwedishJournal ofSociologyis covered…

22. ButSwedishJournal ofPolitical Science is not covered

23. Overview
1.Introduction: Why?
2.Methods: WoS, BCI, and Scopus compared to National CRIS-data
3.Results: Large variations among subfields in the SSH
4.Discussion:
a.Major differences between Elsevier and Thomson Reuters?
b.What types of publications are not covered?
c.Same pattern across countries?
d.What will happen to book publishing and the use of native languages in the SSH?
e.Will it become possible to achieve comprehensive coverage of scholarly publishing in the SH?

25. CRIS systems for PBF

27. BothElsevierand Thomson Reuters arenowintegratingthecitationdatabases withresearchmanagement toolsand CRIS-systems

28. ERIHwillbecomedynamicand includethesocialsciences

29. Overview
1.Introduction: Why?
2.Methods: WoS, BCI, and Scopus compared to National CRIS-data
3.Results: Large variations among subfields in the SSH
4.Discussion:
a.Major differences between Elsevier and Thomson Reuters?
b.What types of publications are not covered?
c.Same pattern across countries?
d.What will happen to book publishing and the use of native languages in the SSH?
e.Will it become possible to achieve comprehensive coverage of scholarly publishing in the SH?

30. PublicationtypesBasedon59,100 scholarly publications from the higher education sector in Norway 2005-2011.
0 %
20 %
40 %
60 %
80 %
100 %
Eng Sci
Nat Sci
Health Sci
Social Sci
Humanities
Articles in journals/series
Articles in books
Books

31. Publicationtypes and researchmethodologies
Articlesin journals/series:
Individual, oftenempiricalstudies basedona limiteddatasetor witha particularfocus
Author name(s) ontitlepageofeacharticle
Editedvolumes(articlesin books):
A collaborativeeffortrepresentedin severalindividualstudies thatarecoordinatedand editedfrom theoutset
Author name(s) ontitlepageofeacharticle; namesoftheeditors onthetitlepageofthebook
Books:
A coherentpresentationofin-depthstudies witha widerfocus
Author name(s) onthetitleofthebook

32. Articlesin journals/series as shareofall publicationsBasedon59,100 scholarly publications from the higher education sector in Norway 2005-2011.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Natural Sci
Health Sci
Engineering
Soc Sci
Humanities

33. 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Economics
Sociology
Linguistics
History
Articlesin journals/series as shareofall publicationsBasedon4,600scholarly publications from the higher education sector in Norway 2005-2011.

34. Will Englishbecomethesingle scholarlylanguagein theSSH?
No, probablynot, because:
The so-calledsocietalimpactor relevanceoftheSSH dependsonthescholars’ communicationwiththeirownsocietyand culture
Somefindingsmaybe less relevant to publishontheinternationallevel, butcanbe ofhighinterestifpublishedonthenationallevel
The nowwidespreaduseofEnglish amongSSH scholarsin somenon-English speakingcountriesis so far accompaniedby theuseofnative languagein someoftheirpublications

35. Percentagepublicationsin thenationallanguageBasedon59,100 scholarly publications from the higher education sector in Norway 2005-2011.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Humanities
Social Sci
Health Sci
Nat Sci
Engineering

36. Percentagepublicationsin thenationallanguageBasedon4,600scholarly publications from the higher education sector in Norway 2005-2011.
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Economics
Sociology
Linguistics
History

37. Overview
1.Introduction: Why?
2.Methods: WoS, BCI, and Scopus compared to National CRIS-data
3.Results: Large variations among subfields in the SSH
4.Discussion:
a.Major differences between Elsevier and Thomson Reuters?
b.What types of publications are not covered?
c.Same pattern across countries?
d.What will happen to book publishing and the use of native languages in the SSH?
e.Will it become possible to achieve comprehensive coverage of scholarly publishing in the SH?

38. Scholarlyjournal articlesonthenationallevelwillbe concentratedin a fewjournals. Example: SociologyBasedon435 scholarly journal articles from the higher education sector in Norway 2005-2011.
0
20
40
60
80
53 other journals
Dansk Sociologi
Work, Employment and Society
European Societies: The Official Journal of the European…
Pakistan Journal of Criminology
Sociologia Ruralis
Comparative Sociology
Qualitative Inquiry
Journal of Classical Sociology
International Journal of Sociology
International Journal of Social Research Methodology
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences
European Journal of Social Theory
Asian Journal of Social Science
Qualitative Sociology Review
Leisure Studies
Sociologisk forskning
Sociology
Ethnic and Racial Studies
Journal of Youth Studies
Journal of Critical Realism
Sociological Review
Social Indicators Research
European Sociological Review
Acta Sociologica
Journal of Risk Research
Sosiologisk Årbok
Sosiologi i dag
Sosiologisk Tidsskrift

39. Typically, Scopuswillhave a widercoverageofthesejournalsExample: SociologyBasedon435 scholarly journal articles from the higher education sector in Norway 2005-2011.
0
20
40
60
80
53 other journals
Dansk Sociologi
Work, Employment and Society
European Societies: The Official Journal of the European…
Pakistan Journal of Criminology
Sociologia Ruralis
Comparative Sociology
Qualitative Inquiry
Journal of Classical Sociology
International Journal of Sociology
International Journal of Social Research Methodology
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences
European Journal of Social Theory
Asian Journal of Social Science
Qualitative Sociology Review
Leisure Studies
Sociologisk forskning
Sociology
Ethnic and Racial Studies
Journal of Youth Studies
Journal of Critical Realism
Sociological Review
Social Indicators Research
European Sociological Review
Acta Sociologica
Journal of Risk Research
Sosiologisk Årbok
Sosiologi i dag
Sosiologisk Tidsskrift

40. Scholarlybook publishingonthe nationallevelis evenmore concentratedin a fewchannelsin eachcountry

41. Whatis beyondcoverage? Is comprehensivecoveragefeasible?
Beyond coverage:
•Incompletecoverageofinternationaljournals in the SSH.
•Verylimitedcoverageofbooks.
•Random or nocoverageofthe nationallevel(booksand journals)
•Feasible?
•Yes, ifthe coverageis restrictedto scholarlypublicationchannels(journals, series, book publishers) thatpublishwith
•Peer review
•Authors from severalinstitutions
•Abstractsin English and standard informationaboutauthorsand affiliations
•Standards ofreferencing