Eur. Phys. J. Special Topics 222, 1441-1465 (2013)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2013-01936-6

Regular Article

Large-scale temporal analysis of computer and information science

¹ Dept. Science Policy and Scientometrics, Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA), Hungary
² Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/c, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
³ PetaByte Research Ltd., Bocskai utca 77-79, 1113 Budapest, Hungary
⁴ DFKI (German Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence), Trippstadter Strasse 122, 67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany

^a e-mail: soos.sandor@mtmt.hu
^b e-mail: gk@hps.elte.hu
^c e-mail: gulyas@petabyte-research.org

Received: 3 June 2013
Revised: 10 July 2013
Published online: 13 September 2013

Abstract

The main aim of the project reported in this paper was twofold. One of the primary goals was to produce an extensive source of network data for bibliometric analyses of field dynamics in the case of Computer and Information Science. To this end, we rendered the raw material of the DBLP computer and infoscience bibliography into a comprehensive collection of dynamic network data, promptly available for further statistical analysis. The other goal was to demonstrate the value of our data source via its use in mapping Computer and Information Science (CIS). An analysis of the evolution of CIS was performed in terms of collaboration (co-authorship) network dynamics. Dynamic network analysis covered three quarters of the XX. century (76 years, from 1936 to date). Network evolution was described both at the macro- and the mezo level (in terms of community characteristics). Results show that the development of CIS followed what appears to be a universal pattern of growing into a “mature” discipline.