Data sources for performing citation analysis: an overview

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of new citation‐enhanced databases and to identify issues to be considered when they are used as a data source for performing citation analysis. Design/methodology/approach The paper reports the limitations of Thomson Scientific's citation indexes and reviews the characteristics of the citation‐enhanced databases Chemical Abstracts, Google Scholar and Scopus. Findings The study suggests that citation‐enhanced databases need to be examined carefully, with regard to both their potentialities and their limitations for citation analysis. Originality/value The paper presents a valuable overview of new citation‐enhanced databases in the context of research evaluation.