Thomson provides data for research trends study

Thomson Scientific is supplying journal literature information to The Patent Board for a study of scientific research trends on behalf of the US National Science Foundation. The Patent Board is using journal literature information from the Science Citation Index and Social Sciences Citation Index as part of its development of key science metrics.

The National Science Foundation contracted The Patent Board to analyse the strength of both US and international science and engineering output. The Patent Board will be analysing vast amounts of scientific data to develop indicators which measure trends in worldwide scientific research. The metrics developed by The Patent Board will enable the National Science Foundation to measure collaboration patterns, emerging areas of research and the connections between research and practical applications around the world.

The results will start to be published in the NSF's biennial Science and Engineering Indicators in 2008.