Bibliometrics as a tool for measuring gender-specific research performance: an example from South African invasion ecology

摘要: Citations to published work are gaining increasing prominence in evaluations of the research performance scientists. Considering importance accorded gender issues South African science, it is surprising that (to our knowledge) no has as yet ascertained extent sex differences citations scientists this country. Our literature study shows studies have been conducted elsewhere tend neglect their analyses important gender-related and other factors, such composition multi-authored papers foreign co-authorship. Against background, we illustrate difficulties inherent measuring quality aspect sex-specific by means an analysis a dataset articles (n = 229) were between 1990 2002 field invasion ecology journals included Thomson Reuters Web Science. Each article at least one author address. The results indicate co-authorship better correlate high than authors, true irrespective whether annual citation rate or window period used, not self-citations excluded, number authors controlled for calculating fractional counts. paper highlights these considerations relevant future gender-focused bibliometric research, both Africa beyond.