Bases for a model of the communication patterns of scientists at the National University of Mexico (UNAM)

Abstract

The object of the present study was to develop a model to describe the communication patterns for the scientific publications of researchers in different disciplines affiliated to the National University of Mexico (UNAM). Using information on the scientific production of the different research institutes and centres published in the annual reports of the UNAM from 1997-2000 and analysing its presence in regional and international databases from 1997-1999, it was possible to establish the basis for the development of models in five main areas of knowledge: Exact Sciences; Natural Sciences; Applied Sciences; Social Sciences and the Humanities. Researchers from the first three areas published mainly in articles from international, peer-reviewed journals and, consequently, their production was highly visible in mainstream databases. On the other hand, researchers from the social sciences and humanities give equal weight to publication in books and in book chapters as they do to publication in journals. Unlike researchers in the hard sciences, social scientists and those working in the humanities prefer regional journals as shown by a strong presence in regional databases and low representation in the international databases. Therefore we conclude that communication patterns are different between the main areas of knowledge as previously defined.