Analysis of the interdisciplinarity of Puerto Rico Chemistry researchers in 1992-1999

Abstract

Interdisciplinarity is one of the most relevant aspects in the process of knowledge production today, for the synergies it affords between the various fields of science to enhance the efficiency of research. The methods for ascertaining such interdisciplinarity range from the most traditional sociological approaches to the deployment of bibliometric indicators. Bibliometric methods have been used to study and analyse scientific activity of the Department of Chemistry of University of Puerto Rico as a whole, but the present study addresses a series of questions relating specifically to interdisciplinarity among research chemists, by studying the subjects covered in the journals where their papers are published and the bibliographic references consulted. The information used was taken from the Science Citation Index (SCI) database, which includes the most significant contributions made by these scientists. Other aspects analysed were the relationships observed between interdisciplinary research and collaboration among scientists or between the interdisciplinarity and the impact or visibility of papers.