Bibliometrics is traditionally strongly related with library science, information retrieval and sociology of science, on the other hand, results of bibliometric research and technology are applied as services for librarianship, scientific information and science policy.

Present-day bibliometric research is aimed at the following three main target-groups that clearly determine topics and sub-areas of ‘contemporary bibliometrics’.

Bibliometrics for bibliometricians ("Basic research" in bibliometrics)

This is the domain of basic bibliometric research and is traditionally funded by the usual grants. Methodological research is conducted mainly in this domain.

Bibliometrics for scientific disciplines (Scientific information)

The researchers in scientific disciplines form the bigger, but also the most diverse interest-group in bibliometrics. Due to their primary scientific orientation, their interests are strongly related to their specialty. This domain may be considered an extension of science information by metric means. Here we also find joint borderland with quantitative research in information retrieval.

Bibliometrics for science policy and management (Research evaluation)

This is the domain of research evaluation, at present the most important topic in the field. Here the national, regional, and institutional structures of science and their comparative presentation are in the foreground.

 

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