The impact of self-citation on ranking of Iran, Turkey, Pakistan

Yousefi, Ahmad, Mohammadi, Farzad, Esfandyari, Hossein (2012) “The impact of self-citation on ranking of Iran, Turkey, Pakistan and Egypt in ophthalmic sciences in Web Of Science based on the citation per paper” in, XXII Annual Congress Of the Iranian Society of Ophthalmology, 29 OCT - 1 NOV 2012, Razi Convention, Tehran.

Abstract

Ahmad Yousefi (Presenting Author)

Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute

Seyyed Farzad Mohammadi

Farabi Eye Research Center

Hossein Esfandyari

Farabi Eye Hospital

Objective: In this study, the ranking of countries based on average citations per paper, which is one of the most important quality indicators in scientometrics, is ongoing. We all know that self-citation is a part of the citations to articles. So, the major aim of this study is to investigate the impact of self-citation on the ranking of countries.

Methodology: This is a scientometric study in ophthalmology and survey research method citation analysis is used. This research conducted on the articles indexed in ISI Web Of Science between 1992-2011.

Findings: Findings show that the most prolific countries in ophthalmology includes Turkey (3042), Iran (839), Egypt (422) and Pakistan (131). In terms of average citations per paper, Egypt 8.98, Pakistan 6.07, Turkey 5.93, and Iran 3.72 are in place. The ranking of countries based on average citations per paper, excluding the self-citation, is Egyptian 8.60, Turkey 5.35, Pakistan 5.27 and Iran 3.30. In terms of percent of self-citation, respectively, Pakistan 13.21, Iran 11.49, Turkey 9.77 and Egypt 4.25 had the highest. Ranking of the countries based on the H Index is as follow, Turkey 40, Egypt 32, Iran 23 and Pakistan 16.

Conclusion: Unfortunately, this research shows that the countries which the average citations per paper are below, trying to raise their citation per paper by more self-citation. Also, countries with low H Index have the percentage of high self-citation.