This document summarizes bibliometric indicators from the OECD based on data from Elsevier's Scopus database. It shows trends in scientific publication output, citation rates, collaboration, and mobility for countries and regions from 2010-2021. It also includes perspectives on COVID-19 research and research related to long term challenges like environmental science and energy. The data can be explored further using the OECD's STI.Scoreboard platform and datasets.

1. OECD BIBLIOMETRIC INDICATORS:
SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS
MARCH 2023 EDITION
Web: http://oe.cd/scientometrics
Contact: STI.Scientometrics@oecd.org

2. • OECD bibliometric indicators are based on Elsevier’s Scopus Custom Data
– This version is based on data provided by Elsevier in January 2023.
– This version provides a comprehensive view of indicators up to and
including 2021 (for complete lagged indexing of 2021 publications in
2022 and one full year of citations to 2021 publications).
– Indicators for 2022 have not been compiled because of incomplete 2022
data.
• The presentation relies on screenshots from the STI.Scoreboard platform
where up-to-date indicators can be retrieved and visualised: http://oe.cd/sti-
scoreboard
– URL links to charts and data are included under the figures
About the OECD Bibliometric indicators

3. • Trends in scientific publication output and citation profiles
(average citation rates and documents among 10% most cited in
their category)
• Collaboration
• Trends in international mobility (implied by affiliation changes)
• Perspectives on COVID-19 research output
• Perspectives on long term challenges
• Where to find all this data and more…
Contents

4. Acceleration of growth in scientific publication output in 2021
Four largest publishing territories in absolute terms, fractional counts
Source: https://stip.oecd.org/stats/SB-
StatTrends.html?i=FPUBS_NBFRAC&v=3&t=2010,2021&s=CHN,EU27_2020,IND,USA

5. Scientific publications by largest producers as share of world’s
total, 2010 compared with 2021
Source: https://stip.oecd.org/stats/SB-StatTrends.html?i=FPUBS_X_WLD&v=6&t=2010,2021&r=4

6. Trends in 10% top-cited publication rates within territories
Domestic documents in global 10% top-cited as % of all domestic documents
Source: https://stip.oecd.org/stats/SB-StatTrends.html?i=TOP10_X&v=3&t=2010,2021&s=CHN,EU27_2020,USA

7. Normalised citation rates within territories, 2010 – 2021
Normalised citation score, ratio of actual versus expected publications,
percentage
Source: Forthcoming on: https://stip.oecd.org/stats/SB-StatTrends.html
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
CHN EU27 USA
World average is 100

8. Trends in the world’s distribution of 10% top-cited publications
Top-cited publications in largest contributing territories as % of world’s top-cited total
Source: https://stip.oecd.org/stats/SB-StatTrends.html?i=TOP10_X_WLD&v=3&t=2010,2021&s=CHN,EU27_2020,USA&r=4
CHN maintains
leading position
EU27 just surpassed USA
India catches up with UK and Germany

9. Distribution of world’s 10% top-cited publications
Top-cited publications in largest contributing territories as % of world’s top-cited total,
2010 and 2020
Source: https://stip.oecd.org/stats/SB-StatTrends.html?i=TOP10_X_WLD&v=6&t=2010,2021&r=4

10. Changes in 10% top-cited publication rates within OECD countries
Domestic documents in global 10% top-cited as % of all domestic documents, 2010 and 2021
Source: https://stip.oecd.org/stats/SB-StatTrends.html?i=TOP10_X&v=6&t=2010,2021&r=3
Global benchmark 10%

11. COLLABORATION

12. International scientific collaboration, OECD countries, 2010 and 2021
Note: Counts are fractional (documents in international collaborations count less than 1 for a country)
Source: https://stip.oecd.org/stats/SB-StatTrends.html?i=INTL_X&v=6&t=2010,2021&r=3

13. International scientific collaboration, 2010 - 2021
Note: Counts are fractional (documents in international collaborations count less than 1 for a country)
Source: https://stip.oecd.org/stats/SB-StatTrends.html?i=INTL_X&v=3&t=2010,2021&s=CHN,EU27_2020,DEU,IND,GBR,USA&r=4

14. MOBILITY

15. International scientist mobility: net flows into territory implied
from reported affiliation changes: 2015-2021
Source: https://stip.oecd.org/stats/SB-StatTrends.html?i=ANNUAL_FLOWS_NB&v=6&t=2015,2021&r=4

16. Source: https://stip.oecd.org/stats/SB-StatTrends.html?i=ANNUAL_FLOWS_NB&v=3&t=2011,2021&s=CHN,EU27_2020,USA
Net international mobility over time

17. PERSPECTIVES ON COVID-19
RESEARCH OUTPUT

18. COVID-19 induced rise in research output on Infectious Diseases
and Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Source: https://stip.oecd.org/stats/SB-
StatTrends.html?i=FPUBS_2725_NBFRAC&v=3&t=2010,2021&s=CHN,EU27_2020,USA

19. Infectious Diseases, domestic top 10% citation rates “excellence”,
2010 and 2021, territories with largest scientific publication output
Source: https://stip.oecd.org/stats/SB-StatTrends.html?i=TOP10_2725_X&v=6&t=2010,2021&r=4
China was 16.4
in 2020

20. Share of COVID publications in total publications, 2020 and 2021
Note: Results based on ad hoc analysis looking specifically at COVID tagged documents.
Total COVID publications in country x divided by total publications in country x.
Source: OECD calculations based on Scopus Custom Data, Elsevier, Version 1.2023, March 2023.
0
2
4
6
8
2021 2020

21. Share of scientific publications within economies among the world's
10% top-cited – COVID-19 vs all publications, 2021
Note: Results based on ad hoc analysis looking specifically at COVID tagged documents.
Total 10% top-cited publications -- COVID or all – in country x divided by total publications -- COVID or all – in country x.
Source: OECD calculations based on Scopus Custom Data, Elsevier, Version 1.2023, March 2023; and Scimago Journal Rankings.
0
10
20
30
40
Share of COVID publications Share of all publications

22. Global distribution of 10% top-cited publications, COVID vs all
publications, 2021
Note: Results based on ad hoc analysis looking specifically at COVID tagged documents.
Total 10% top-cited publications in country x -- COVID or all -- divided by world’s total 10% top-cited publications -- COVID or all .
Source: OECD calculations based on Scopus Custom Data, Elsevier, Version 1.2023, March 2023; and Scimago Journal Rankings.
0
10
20
30
Share of 10% top-cited COVID publications
Share of 10% top-cited publications
Share of 10% top-cited COVID publications, 2020
100

23. PERSPECTIVES ON LONG TERM
CHALLENGES

24. Research on Environmental Science, number of publications,
2010 and 2021
Source: https://stip.oecd.org/stats/SB-StatTrends.html?i=FPUBS_23_NBFRAC&v=6&t=2010,2021&r=4

25. Research on Environmental Science, domestic excellence, 2010
and 2021
Source: https://stip.oecd.org/stats/SB-StatTrends.html?i=TOP10_23_X&v=6&t=2010,2021&r=4

26. Research on Energy, number of publications, 2010 and 2021
Source: https://stip.oecd.org/stats/SB-StatTrends.html?i=FPUBS_21_NBFRAC&v=6&t=2010,2021&r=4

27. Research on Energy, domestic excellence, 2010 and 2021
Source: https://stip.oecd.org/stats/SB-StatTrends.html?i=TOP10_21_X&v=6&t=2010,2021&r=4

28. • A selection of bibliometric indicators is available in the STI.Scoreboard
platform: http://oe.cd/sti-scoreboard
• The STI.Scoreboard platform can be used to retrieve, visualise and compare
statistical indicators of science, technology and innovation systems across
OECD countries and several other economies. Use the platform to generate
your own charts, download data and charts or save and share them.
• In addition, a data set of bibliometric indicators by field and country is available
at: https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?datasetcode=BIBLIO_F
• And another data set of bibliometric indicators of implied bilateral mobility flows
is available at: https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?datasetcode=BIBLIO_F
Where to find these data and much more …