Numerous databases have been developed to track scientific outcomes such as publications, allowing us to measure academic performance and rank the production of individuals researchers or institutions. However, lack of standardization among the various database search parameters can lead to errors and omissions in identifying authors and institutions, preventing accurate measurement of research production. In México, a governmental system was established in 1984 to promote quantity and quality of scientific research in the country. The Sistema Nacional de Investigadores (SNI, or National System of Researchers) is a subsidiary of the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACyT or National Council of Sciences and Technology). The SNI is divided into two main categories: candidates and national researchers, with the latter divided into two levels: II, III and National Researcher Emeritus. Scientific poster presented in COLLNET 2014, Ilmenau, Germany

1. How does lack of standardization in authorship affect
the measurement of science output? Mexican picture
Flor Trillo, PhD Candidate, University of Granada, Spain
Background
Objective
Determine the status in scientific publications from 2000-2012 of Mexican SNI level III
researchers in the international bibliographic database, Scopus.
Results
Conclusions
After analyzing the current status of the scientific production of Mexican SNI level III
researchers, several problems were identified. These problems basically all stem from the
lack of consistency in the researcher profiling, starting since the submission process and
continuing through the editorial review process; particularly when the papers are indexed or
included in databases, such as Scopus.
It is imperative to normalize the process of documengint research profiles, through systems
as Researcher ID and ORCID, in order to have a more accurate picture of the scientific
production in Mexico, helping Mexican researchers and institutions achieve a higher position
in academic ranking systems like SCImago Journal & Country Rank.
Knowing the origins of the papers and the importance of the contributions will impact to
improve their future research.
References
Elsevier B. V. Scopus. Coverage of metadata [Retrieved April, 2013 from http://www.scopus.com]
Foro Consultivo Científico y Tecnológico y Academia Mexicana de Ciencias (2005) Una reflexión sobre el
Sistema Nacional de Investigadores a 20 años de su creación. México: FCCyT.
Licea de Arenas J; Santillán-Rivero EG (2002). Bibliometría ¿para qué?. Biblioteca Universitaria. Nueva época,
enero-junio. 5(1)
Metlich- Medlich AI (2009). Restricciones de la institución en la productividad científica. El caso de una
universidad pública mexicana. Revista Electrónica de Investigación Educativa. México: 11(1); 1-20.
Reglamento del SNI (2011). México: Diario Oficial de la Federación.
Reyes G, Suriñach J (2012). Las evaluaciones internas del SNI: coherencias o coincidencias. Secuencia: 83;
mayo-agosto; 179-217
Rivas-Tovar LA (2005). La formación de investigadores en México. Perfiles Latinoamericanos, diciembre; 89-
113
Sistema Nacional de Investigadores (2012). Investigadores vigentes 2012. México: CONACYT.
Numerous databases have been developed to track scientific outcomes such as
publications, allowing us to measure academic performance and rank the production of
individuals researchers or institutions. However, lack of standardization among the
various database search parameters can lead to errors and omissions in identifying
authors and institutions, preventing accurate measurement of research production.
In México, a governmental system was established in 1984 to promote quantity and
quality of scientific research in the country. The Sistema Nacional de Investigadores
(SNI, or National System of Researchers) is a subsidiary of the Consejo Nacional de
Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACyT or National Council of Sciences and Technology). The
SNI is divided into two main categories: candidates and national researchers, with the
latter divided into two levels: II, III and National Researcher Emeritus.
Level III is reserved for those researchers who have made significant contributions
nationally and internationally to their fields, and in this category is where is establish the
evaluation board who later on make decisions about who can access as candidate or will
be promoted to the next level.
Since Level III researchers are considered the model of excellency in their field, this
group was chosen to profile their scientific productivity as measured by to one of the
most used databases with worldwide coverage, Scopus.
Methods
1,581 researchers were identified in SNI level III were tracked trough the database Scopus,
from 2000-2012
In Mexico 1,581 researchers were classified in SNI level III in 2012, of which 1,077 (68.12%)
were included in this study, representing 95 institutions in Scopus.
Base on these 1,077 researchers:
• Average rate of publications was between 1 to 295 papers per researcher.
• Physics, Mathematics and Earth sciences had the highest rate of researchers with
publications up to 319 (29.61%)
• Health sciences and Medicine produce approximately 59 papers per researcher, with an
average citation of 16.
• Social sciences generated about 4 documents per researcher with around 5 citations per
Production distribution
by field
publication
• 92 (8.5%) researchers had just one publication.
Production distribution
by gender
Physics,
Mathematics and
Earth science
32%
Biology and
Chemistry
25%
Social
science
Behavioral
sciences and
Humanities
2%
Health science and
Medicine
20%
1%
Biotechnology
and Agriculture
research
9%
Engineering
11%
Production distribution
by academic degree
Non specific
2%
Bachelor Degree
4%
Master Degree
2%
PhD
92%
• 985 (91,45%) researchers whose production was between 2-294 papers were clasiffied
in three groups:
A. With 2 to 49 publications, with a total of 657 (66.70%) researchers
B. With 50 to 99 publications, with a total of 277 (28.12%) researchers
C. With 100 to 294 publications, with a total of 51 (5.17%) researchers
• The publications from Group C have 500 to 8,240 citations in total:
Group C, distribution
by field
Group C, distribution
by institution
 1,581 researchers in
2012, level III, just 8.52%
of the total SNI
 Affiliated to 110 national
institutions, 13
international
 In 13 years, the total
contribution was about
41,794 publications with
465,125 citations in total
 Representing just the
27.59% of scientific
production in the country,
according to reports in
Scopus
 According to Scopus,
Mexico was in the 28th
position in scientific
production in 2012
Of the 504 (31.87%) researchers excluded:
• 342 (21.63%) researchers did not appear in Scopus
• 162 (10.18%) researchers presented inconsistencies during the search
(typo/spelling mistakes in the name, different institutional affiliation and/or field of
research)
• Representing about 4.4% in scientific production (total of 6,725 publications)
Step 1
Creation of a
database with
1,581 SNI level III
researchers,
reported active in
2012:
• Researcher’s
name
• Institutional
afiliation
• Academic
degree
• Field of
research
Step 2
Search in Scopus,
in a period from
2000 to 2012,
using the next
criteria:
• Full and partial
researcher’s
name
• Institutional
afiliation
• Field of
research
• Country of
origin and
employment
Step 3
Identification of
tracking
problems:
• Full and partial
typo/spelling
mistakes on
researcher’s
name
• Mismatches of
institutional
afiliation
• Mismatches on
Research Field
• Mismatches in
country
• Citation errors
Step 4
Recolection and
data analysis, to
establish
comparations by
field,
country/institution
al afiliation,
gender, academic
degree, number of
publications and
national presence
in Scopus.
14%
4%
31%
2%
27%
22%
Engineering
Biotechnology and agriculture
sciences
Health science and medicine
Behavioral science and
Humanities
Biology and chemistry
Physics , Mathematics and Earth
science
Male
82%
Female
18%
17%
13%
9%
8%
4% 4%
2%
4%
2%
4%
2%
2%
2%
2%
4%
4%
4%
4%
2%
2%
2%2%2%2%
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados, IPN
Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana
Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán
Universidad de Guadalajara
Secretaría de Salud
Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey
Instituto Politécnico Nacional
Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública
Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía
Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias
Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica Óptica y Electrónica
Universidad de Sonora
Universidad Autónoma de Morelos
Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León
Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias
Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente
Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Dr. Ignacio Chávez
Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo
Instituto de Ecología, A.C.
El Colegio de la Frontera Sur
Centro de Investigaciones en Óptica, A.C.
Benemerita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla
Anthony Nolan Research