Literature Mapping
Researchers have identified new ways to analyze patterns in journal citations. It can be overwhelming to work with a lot of information without the correct tools for searching, and most of the time keyword searches are not effective anymore. These tools have been created to make research much faster.
Now anyone can access a set of mapping and recommendation services that accesses journals and organizes it by the impact of its sources instead of how many citation’s its gotten. They have also created an InfoMap that uses visualizations and maps of science. This map has been tested on many scholarly literatures. The results it that it simplifies and highlights research. It is is a nice visualization of a cluster of journals that all have connections. It is visually appealing and easy to see the flow of information. It allows researchers to find relevant articles that they would not have found otherwise, and make connections with authors in similar fields.
By determining citations, they revealed patterns by tracing the flow of ideas that have taken shape. Certain journals causes certain literature to emerge. There is a naturally link between certain fields of sciences. Thicker lines represent a stronger connection, thinner lines a weaker connection. This is just the start of a new technical revolution.
http://chronicle.com/article/Maps-of-Citations-Uncover-New/128938