title: Comparative Performance of Adult Social Care Research, 1996-2011: A Bibliometric Assessment.
abstract: Decision makers in adult social care are increasingly interested in using evidence from research to support or shape their decisions. The scope and nature of the current landscape of adult social care research (ASCR) need to be better understood. This paper provides a bibliometric assessment of ASCR outputs from 1996 to 2011. ASCR papers were retrieved using three strategies: from key journals; using keywords and noun phrases; and from additional papers preferentially citing or being cited by other ASCR papers. Overall, 195,829 ASCR papers were identified in the bibliographic database Scopus, of which 16 per cent involved at least one author from the UK. The UK output increased 2.45-fold between 1996 and 2011. Among selected countries, those with greater research intensity in ASCR generally had higher citation impact, such as the USA, UK, Canada and the Netherlands. The top five UK institutions in terms of volume of papers in the UK accounted for 26 per cent of total output. We conclude by noting the limitations to bibliometric analysis of ASCR and examine how such analysis can support the strategic development of the field.
authors: Science-Metrix, 1335 avenue du Mont-Royal E., Montréal, Québec, H2J 1Y6, Canada.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Campbell
authors: Science-Metrix, 1335 avenue du Mont-Royal E., Montréal, Québec, H2J 1Y6, Canada.
authors: Grégoire
authors: G
authors: Côté
authors: The Policy Institute, King's College London, Virginia Woolf Building, 22 Kingsway, London, London, WC2R 2LS, UK.
authors: Jonathan
authors: J
authors: Grant
authors: Personal Social Services Research Unit, NIHR School for Social Care Research, London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London, WC2A 2AE, UK.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Knapp
authors: Personal Social Services Research Unit, NIHR School for Social Care Research, London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London, WC2A 2AE, UK.
authors: Anji
authors: A
authors: Mehta
authors: RAND Europe, Westbrook Centre, Milton Road, Cambridge, CB4 1YG, UK.
authors: Molly
authors: M
authors: Morgan Jones
keywords: Adult social care; bibliometrics; comparative analysis; research policy