ABSTRACT
Applications of scientometrics have been evolving, improving and advancing over the years. This chapter provides a comprehensive view of the current uses and applications of scientometrics, which are applied to both science and the humanities and social sciences. Beginning from the conceptual basis of its applications, the core concerns of scientometrics, including mapping of disciplines and subjects and research assessment, evaluation, impact and collaboration, are illustrated in detail. Being the key source of data, citation indexes are taken for discussion from the point of their multifarious applications in scientometrics and as sources of big data. Given the inadequacies of any single database for rigorous scientometric analyses, the advantages of combining multidisciplinary databases for a more reliable and robust analysis are highlighted. Similarly, the uses and applications of scientometrics can be improved upon with the integration of supplementary information. Such information needs to be sourced from external resources, which is explored in this chapter. The scope for big data analysis, being the contemporary trend in the social sciences, is also dealt with in the chapter.
