Research Study

Identifying Distinctive Competencies in Science

Richard Klavans and Kevin W. Boyack

Abstract

Science mapping is an alternative method for identifying areas of scientific leadership for a university. This method reveals the fine structure of science using bibliographic analysis and visualization algorithms. We compare the results from science mapping to those from traditional ranking approaches. Using the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) as a test case, we find that science mapping more accurately identifies the university’s distinctive competencies in science.