A longitudinal study of Google Scholar coverage between 2012 and 2013

Article

Harzing, A. 2014. A longitudinal study of Google Scholar coverage between 2012 and 2013. Scientometrics. 98 (1), pp. 565-575. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-013-0975-y
TypeArticle
TitleA longitudinal study of Google Scholar coverage between 2012 and 2013
AuthorsHarzing, A.
Abstract

Harzing (2013) showed that between April 2011 and January 2012, Google Scholar has very significantly expanded its coverage in Chemistry and Physics, with a more modest expansion for Medicine and a natural increase in citations only for Economics. However, we do not yet know whether this expansion of coverage was temporary or permanent, nor whether a further expansion of coverage has occurred. It is these questions we set out to respond in this research note.
We use a sample of 20 Nobelists in Chemistry, Economics, Medicine and Physics and track their h-index, g-index and total citations in Google Scholar on a monthly basis. Our data suggest that - after a period of significant expansion for Chemistry and Physics - Google Scholar coverage is now increasing at a stable rate. Google Scholar also appears to provide comprehensive coverage for the four disciplines we studied. The increased stability and coverage might make Google Scholar much more suitable for research evaluation and bibliometric research purposes than it has been in the past.

KeywordsGoogle scholar; Citations; Web of science; h-Index; g-Index; Social sciences
Research GroupInternational and Cross-cultural Management group
PublisherSpringer
JournalScientometrics
ISSN0138-9130
Electronic1588-2861
Publication dates
Print31 Jan 2014
Online05 Mar 2013
Publication process dates
Deposited26 Mar 2015
Submitted24 Jan 2013
Output statusPublished
Accepted author manuscript
Copyright Statement

This version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use https://www.springernature.com/gp/open-research/policies/accepted-ma... , but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11192-013-0975-y

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-013-0975-y
Scopus EID2-s2.0-84891743982
LanguageEnglish
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