Research Productivity of Physical Science Disciplines in Sambalpur University (Orissa):

A Scientometric Study

Sabitri Mahi! and "ulu Maharana#

1JRF, Department of Library and Information Science, Sambalpur University, Orissa

(sabitriindia!mail"com#$Sr, Lecturer, %" &" Department of Library ' Information Science, Sambalpur University, Orissa

(bulumaarana!mail"com#

Abstract

)is paper attempts to analyse *uantitatively te !ro+t and development of %ysical Science Researc in SambalpurUniversity in terms of publication output as reflected in Scopus Database" From its inception (1-1# to till date ($.1.# a total of

/1- papers +ere publised by te %ysical Science researcers of Sambalpur University in various sub0ect domains %ysics,2emistry, 3atematics, Statistics, 4nvironmental Science, and 4art Science" )e present study analy5ed year6+ise !ro+t of publications, most preferred 0ournals of te publications, Impact Factor (IF# of te publisin! 0ournals, autorsip pattern of te papers, Sub0ect +ise distribution of papers, etc" 7esides, te study e8plored intra6department, inter6department, intra6state, inter6

state, and international researc collaboration of te autors in Sambalpur University" )e +ole study +ill assess te intellectualoutput of te pysical science researcer of te Sambalpur University and it may act as a catalyst for increasin! teir interest for

furter researc" )e findin!s of te researc +ill be a matter of concern for various policy6ma9in! bodies and fundin! a!enciesof Sambalpur University, suc as, U&2, :;;2, 3inistry of <RD, etc"

$ey%ords:  %ysical Sciences, Scientometric analysis, ;utorsip pattern, Sub0ect Domain, Impact Factor 

!& PRO'OU

Researc publications are te embodiments of intellectual discoveries primarily aimin! to transmit ne+

ideas or information for brin!in! advancement in 9no+led!e" ;s reflected in te Scopus Online database, te

*uantity of %ysical Science researc is more tan oter sub0ect areas li9e Life sciences, <ealt Sciences and Social

Sciences" It also reflects tat te publication output by te pysical science researcers is muc more tan te

researcers of oter sub0ect areas of Sambalpur University" Sambalpur University is one of te ma0or universities of

Odisa establised in 1=-" )e University provides %ost6&raduate, 3"%il and %D pro!rammes a +ide ran!e of

sub0ects includin! modern sub0ects li9e, 3aster of Finance 2ontrol, 7iotecnolo!y, 7io6informatics, Food Science

and tecnolo!y, etc" )e Department of 2emistry, %ysics, 3atematical Science, 4nvironmental Science, and

4art Science of Sambalpur University +ic fall under te cate!ory of %ysical sciences are very prominent

especially for teir i! *uality researc" 3ost of tese Departments ave been inducted under te special assistance

researc scemes suc as DRS of U&2 and FIS) of DS)" 3any of te faculty members of tese Departments ave

 been acclaimed +it several a+ards and reco!nition for teir researc" >it tis bac9!round, te study aims to

ma9e an assessment of te researc +or9 carried out in te above areas retrospectively only for tose +or9 +ic

ave been inde8ed in Scopus"

#& O"*+,-.S

)e ob0ectives of te present study are as follo+s

)o trace te rate of !ro+t in researc publications in pysical sciences of Sambalpur University

)o find out te i! productive and lo+ productive sub0ect areas

)o e8amine te autorsip pattern of in researc publications

)o find out researc collaboration of researcers at different levels

1

 

)o find out te most preferred 0ournal +ere most of te papers of Sambalpur University appear"

/& M,0ODO'O1 A2D DA,A SOUR+

)e publications by Sambalpur university in %ysical Science (%ysics, 2emistry, 3atematics, Statistics,

4art Science, 4nvironmental Science# forms te basis of tis study and it as been derived particularly from te

Scopus database" It is te lar!est abstract and citation database of researc literature and *uality +eb sources, +ic

covers nearly 1?,... titles from more tan @,... publisers" In comparison to >eb of Science, Scopus data is

e8pected to !enerate a better picture of Indian science and tecnolo!y in te !lobal conte8t and ence, it as been

used for tis study" Scopus inde8es several different types of publications suc as researc papers, revie+s, sort

notes, and editorial as appearin! in 0ournals" It also inde8es articles appearin! in conferenceAseminar proceedin!s" In

tis paper, all types of publications as inde8ed in Scopus ave been included in te analysis" )e records re*uired

for te study ave been do+nloaded from te Scopus database usin! te BSambalpur UniversityC in te affiliation

searc" )e si5e of data do+nloaded for te purpose is /1- and te records +ere imported into 3S6e8cel for

statistical analysis"

3& S+OP A2D '-M-,A,-O2

Scopus database cate!orises te +ole publications in to four broad sub0ect areas li9e Life Sciences,

%ysical sciences, <ealt Sciences and social Sciences" )e present study is limited to pysical science publications

only by te researcers of Sambalpur University inde8ed in te Scopus database retrospectively from 1-1 to $.1."

Scopus covers cemical en!ineerin!, cemistry, computer science, 4art ' planetary science, ener!y, en!ineerin!,

environmental science, matematics, pysics and astrolo!y under te pysical science cate!ory" <o+ever, te

 present study covers only si8 broad areas 2emistry, %ysics, 3atematics, 4nvironmental science, 4art science

and Statistics"

3& DA,A A2A'1S-S A2D D-S+USS-O2

3&! Authorship Pattern of 4hole +ontribution

)able6/"1 ;utorsip %attern

;utorsip %attern :o" of 2ontribution(n/1-#

%ercenta!e

Sin!le ;utor E$ -"=@

)+o ;utors 11- $-"

)ree ;utors 1$E

$"/$

Four ;utors = $$"=

Five ;utors E- ?"?@

3ore tan five and less tan ten ;utors 11 $"=E

)en and more ;utors $ ."/-

&rap6/"1

2

 

)able61 and &rap61 indicate tat te i!est 1$E ($"/$# of articles ave tree autors follo+ed by

11-($-"# +it t+o autors, = ($$"=# and E-(?"?@# ave four and five autors respectively" >ile E$

(-"=@# articles are sin!le autored, 11 ($"=E# articles are autored by more tan five and less tan ten autors"

Only $ (."/-# articles are autored by ten and more autors" Data relatin! to autorsip pattern as above is evident

tat te pysical science researcers of Sambalpur University ave a tendency to +or9 in collaboration +it oter

researcers usually in a team of $ to / researcers" <o+ever, collaboration +it more tan five autors as produced

very insi!nificant number of papers.

3&# Discipline5%ise productivity of research

)able6/"$ Discipline6+ise productivity of researc

7road Discipline under %ysical Science as inS2O%US

 :o" of 2ontributions %ercenta!e(#(:/1-#

2emistry 1? /-"/?

%ysics 1E1 E1"/1

3atematics /= 11".E

4nvironmental Science E$ -"=-

4art Science = 1"/E

Statistics / ."@

&rap6/"$

3

 

)able6$ and &rap6$ reveals te pattern of distribution of researc papers amon! te broad disciplines" It is

found at te outset tat tere is no uniformity in te researc productivity of te various disciplines" It +as furter

discovered tat 2emistry and %ysics are te t+o i!ly productive sub0ects +it 1? (/-"/?# and 1E1(E1"/1#

 papers respectively durin! 1-16$.1." >ile 3atematics and 4nvironmental Science are te t+o mediocre

researc productive sub0ects avin! only /= (11".E# and E$ (-"=-# contributions respectively, 4art Science and

Statistics are te t+o lo+ productive sub0ect areas of researc avin! only = (1"/E# and / (."@# publications

respectively durin! te same period in Sambalpur University"

3&/ 1ear54ise ro%th of Publications

)able6E belo+ presents te data relatin! to !ro+t of pysical Science researc durin! 1-1 to $.1." )e

years in +ic more ten 1. papers publised are $.. (E= %apers#, $..? (E$ %apers#, $..- ($- %apers#, 1= ($=

%apers#, $../ ($E %apers#, 1- ($E %apers#, $..= ($$ %apers#, $..$ ($$ %apers#, 1? ($$ %apers#, 1 (1?

%apers#, $..@ (1- %apers# and $..1 (1= %apers# are relatively more productive in relation to total number of

 publications in %ysical science researc" )e less productive years +it less tan 1. papers are 1-1, 1-$, 1-E,

1-@ , and 1-- +it one paper eacG 1?=, 1?-, 1$, 1E, and 1/ +it t+o papers eacG 1?1, 1?? +it

tree papers eac and 1?@ +it / %apers" )e years 1-/ and 1-= are 5ero6productive +it out a sin!le

 publication by any of te disciplines" )e remainin! years as so+n in te table so+s a moderate !ro+t of

researc" ;s te publication data +ere do+nloaded on -t ;pril $.1. from te Scopus database te year $.1. is

avin! only one publication" <ence, te investi!ators are unsure about te total productivity of te year $.1."

)able6/"E Hear6+ise !ro+t of researc productivity

Hear :umber of Researc%apers publised

Hear :umber of Researc%apers publised

1-1 1 11 1.

1-$ 1 1$ $

1-E 1 1E $

1-/ . 1/ $

1-@ 1 1@ =

1-= . 1= $=

1-- 1 1- $E

1-? @ 1? $$

1- 11 1 1?

1?. $... 1E

1?1 E $..1 1=

1?$ - $..$ $$

1?E 11 $..E =

1?/ @ $../ $E

1?@ / $..@ 1-

1?= $ $..= $$

1?- $ $..- $-

1?? E $..? E$

1? 11 $.. E=

1. 1E $.1.(up to -t

;pril#

1

4

 

&rap6/"E

3&3 Ran6in7 of Authors based on their Research +ontribution

)e detail of te contribution of individual autors in various disciplines of Sambalpur University as been

reflected in te 3aster )able in ;ppendi861" For te convenience of analysis of te data and to find out te

 publication trend of individual autors te follo+in! table as been derived"

)able6/"/ Distribution of autors by number of publications

 :os" of %ublications :os" of ;utors %ercenta!e :1$.

161. - ?."?E

116$. 1/ 11"=-

$16E. .= @

E16/. .$ 1"-

/16@. .. ..

@16=. .1 ."?E

)e above table is evident tat more tan ?. of te autors ave 1. publications to teir credit" Only a

little less tan $. autors ave more tan $. publications in a period of /. years" Only one autor as more tan

@. publications" On te basis of number of publications, te top 1. autors in %ysical Sciences in Samablpur

University are as follo+s

)able6/"/"1 Ran9in! of autors by number of contributions

Ran9 :ame of te

;utor 

DepartmentA

Discipline

 :o" of

2ontribution

 :o" of Sin!le

;utored2ontribution

 :o" of 2o6

autored2ontribution

 :o" of

2ontributionas First ;utor 

1 3isra 7"" 2emistry @= . @= .

$ 3oanty &" 3atematics E/ . E/ EE

E 7eera 7 %ysics E$ . E$ $@

/ %atel S" 2emistry $ 1 $? ?

@ %anda ;"" %ysics $? . $? 1/

= %arida 3"" %ysics $@ 1= 1$

- 7eera R"" 2emistry $/ . $/ @

? :aya9 %" %ysics $$ $ $. E

Das D"2" 2emistry $1 . $1 1/

1. 3isra, R"" 2emistry $. 1 1 1.

1. :aya9 ;" 2emistry $. . $. .

1. %atra 3" 2emistry $. 1. 1. 1.

5

 

)able6/"/"1 divul!es tat Dr" 7" " 3isra, a professor of te Department of 2emistry is te most

 productive autor +it a total of @= researc papers inde8ed in Scopus" )e second most productive autor is %rof"

&" 3oanty, a professor (presently retired# of te Scool of 3atematical Sciences follo+ed by %rof" 7" 7eera, a

 professor (presently retired# of te Department of %ysics +it E/ and E$ researc papers respectively" Out of te 1$

most productive autors in te list, - (@?"E# autors are from te sub0ect 2emistry" )is indicates tat te

Department of 2emistry as a stron! researc base" %ysics is te second most productive sub0ect as far as te

researc publications are concerned +it / (EE"E# autors in te tops ten list of most productive autors" >it

re!ard to researc collaboration, it +as found tat most of te researcers in pysical sciences in Sambalpur

University +or9 in collaboration rater tan carry out individual researc" Out of EE1 researc papers, only $E

(="@# are individual researc and rest are te result of collaborative researc"

&rap6/"/

3&8 Ran6in7 of *ournals (,op5!9 *ournals) based on 2o& of publications

)able6/"@ Researc paper6+ise Ran9in! of Journals of Journals

Sl& 2o& 2ame of the ournal 2o&of Articles

(23!;)

Percenta7e

1 Journal of te Indian 2emical Society E/ ?"1@

$ Indian Journal of 2emistry(Section ; Inor!anic, %ysical, )eoretical and ;nalytical2emistry#

E1 -"/E

E ;stropysics and Space Science E. -"1

/ %ysical Revie+ D $. /"-

@  Pramana te Journal of %ysics $. E"11

= Indian Journal of 2emistry

(Section 7 Or!anic and 3edicinal 2emistry#

$"1@

- Indian Journal of 4nvironmental %rotection $"1@

? Journal of Or!anic 2emistry ? 1"1

%ysical Revie+ 2 - 1"=-

1. )ransition 3etal 2emistry - 1"=-

6

 

)able no" /"@ displays te mappin! of researc papers publised in various 0ournals in pysical sciences

!roup" It is evident tat, te researcers of Sambalpur University use to publis teir +or9 in a +ide ran!e of

 0ournals inde8ed in Scopus" )e above table indicates tat ma8imum number of papers, i"e, E/ (?"1@# are

 publised in Journal of Indian Chemical Society follo+ed by Indian Journal of Chemistry, Journal of Astrophysics

and Space Science, Physical Review, and Pramana +it E1, E., $. and $. papers respectively" It is clear from te

data tat most of te 0ournals +it i! fre*uency of publications of Sambalpur University are Indian 0ournals"

&rap6/"@ Ran9in! (1. ten# of Journals on te basis of number of contributions

8& Maor <indin7s and Observations

i" It +as found in te analysis tat, 1$. autors of Sambalpur University ave contributed /1- items

durin! te period 1-1 to $.1. +it a per capita productivity of E"/-@"

ii" )e contributions in pysical science literature ran!ed from sin!le autored publications to more

tan 1. autors" >ile tree autored contributions ran9ed first formin! 1$E ($"/$# and sin!le autored

contributions formed -"=@ +ic is very lo+" <ence it is found tat researc in collaboration dominates

individual researc"

iii" 2emistry and pysics are te t+o i!ly productive sub0ects contributin! lar!e *uantity of

 publications tan oter sub0ect areas in pysical science disciplines of Sambalpur University

iv" %rof" 7"" 3isra from te Department of 2emistry as ma8imum number of contributions is te

most productive researcerAautor in %ysical Sciences of Sambalpur University"

v"  Journal of the Indian Chemical Society is found to be te most favorite 0ournal avin! ma8imum number of

contributions (E/ articles# from te pysical science researcers of Sambalpur University"

=& +onclusion

It is observed tat amon! te broad disciplines of pysical Science te contribution to cemistry researc is

i!est follo+ed by pysics and contribution to oter discipline is very lo+" )ere is a team spirit and collaborative

7

 

approac in pysical science researc as ma0ority of researc publications ave been brou!t out in 0oint autorsip"

)e year +ise !ro+t of researc output so+s tat no uniform pattern of literature !ro+t as been observed but

te publication output is more in recent years tan before" )is loo9s obvious as researc is an intellectual activity

deeply influenced by state of mind of scientists and availability of sufficient information and oter input of scientific

 productivity"

R<R2+

1" &upta, 7" 3" et al" ($..$#, BIndiaKs collaboration +it ;ustralia in science and tecnolo!y ;

Scientometric study of co6autored papers durin! 1@61C,  DESIDOC ulletin of Information

!echnolo"y, ol" $$ :o" =, pp" $16E@"

$" &upta, 7" 3" and Da+an S"3" ($..# BStatus of India in science and tecnolo!y as reflected in

its publication output in te Scopus international database, 1=M$..=C,

Scientometrics,ol"?.,:o"$,pp"/-@M/$"Nonlineat

+++"sprin!erlin9"comAinde8AtEu?u=@E@!$-.8@v"pdf"

E" ademani, 7"S" et al" ($..-#, B3appin! of Indian publications in S') ; scientometric analysis

of publications in science citation inde8C,  DESIDOC ulletin of Information !echnolo"y , ol" $-

 :o" 1"

/" Lee 2u eon! ($..E# B; scientometric study of te researc performance of te Institute of

3olecular and 2ell 7iolo!y in Sin!aporeC, Scientometrics, ol" @=, :o" 1pp"$6E/"

@" Sarma, R"3" ($..#, BResearc publication trend amon! scientists of central potato researc

institute ; bibliometric study"C  Annals of #i$rary and Information studies , ol"@=, p" $6E/"

=" inaya!amoorty, %" et al" ($..# B ;utorsip pattern and collaborative researc in erbal

literatureC, PEAR#, ol"E, :o" /"pp"E$6E?

-" ttpsAA+++"scopus"com

?" >ebsite of Sambalpur University" ttpAAsuniv"ac"inA

8