Mapping ceramics research and its evolution

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how bibliographic data mining and co-word network analysis can effectively map and analyze the evolution, trends, and organization of research in the ceramic materials field over 43 years.

Contribution

It introduces a data-driven approach using bibliographic records and co-word analysis to understand research evolution, which surpasses traditional literature review methods.

Findings

Identified key research trends and shifts over 43 years.

Visualized relationships between ideas and researchers.

Highlighted potential unexplored concepts in ceramics research.

Abstract

We show here how a simple data mining of bibliographic records can be used to follow and help understand the evolution of a research domain, at a level that cannot be captured by reading individual papers in a field of this size. We illustrate the approach by investigating 43 years of research on ceramic materials, covered by 253k bibliographic records. The patterns of keywords used reveal the trends and the evolution of research ideas and priorities within the field. Simple, interactive tools based on co-word network analysis help us better appreciate the organization and relationships of ideas or individuals, and hopefully allow identification of unexplored concepts, connections, or approaches on a given topic.