Google Scholar, Scopus and the Web of Science: a longitudinal and cross-disciplinary comparison

Article

Harzing, A. and Alakangas, S. 2016. Google Scholar, Scopus and the Web of Science: a longitudinal and cross-disciplinary comparison. Scientometrics. 106 (2), pp. 787-804. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-015-1798-9
TypeArticle
TitleGoogle Scholar, Scopus and the Web of Science: a longitudinal and cross-disciplinary comparison
AuthorsHarzing, A. and Alakangas, S.
Abstract

This article aims to provide a systematic and comprehensive comparison of the coverage of the three major bibliometric databases: Google Scholar, Scopus and the Web of Science. Based on a sample of 146 senior academics in five broad disciplinary areas, we therefore provide both a longitudinal and a cross-disciplinary comparison of the three databases.
Our longitudinal comparison of eight data points between 2013 and 2015 shows a consistent and reasonably stable quarterly growth for both publications and citations across the three databases. This suggests that all three databases provide sufficient stability of coverage to be used for more detailed cross-disciplinary comparisons.
Our cross-disciplinary comparison of the three databases includes four key research metrics (publications, citations, h-index, and hI,annual, an annualised individual h-index) and five major disciplines (Humanities, Social Sciences, Engineering, Sciences and Life Sciences). We show that both the data source and the specific metrics used change the conclusions that can be drawn from cross-disciplinary comparisons.

KeywordsGoogle Scholar; Scopus; Web of Science; H-index; hla; Citation analysis; Research metrics
Research GroupInternational and Cross-cultural Management group
PublisherSpringer
JournalScientometrics
ISSN0138-9130
Electronic1588-2861
Publication dates
Print01 Feb 2016
Online26 Nov 2015
Publication process dates
Deposited01 Dec 2015
Accepted17 Nov 2015
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/s11192-015-1798-9

Additional information

Video presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJFbra9WEiI&feature=youtu.be
Presentation slides: http://www.harzing.com/download/madrid.pdf

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-015-1798-9
Scopus EID2-s2.0-84948437918
LanguageEnglish
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