Mapping the structure of surgery discipline in Science Citation Index

One of the most important quantitative methods and research method in library and information sciences is scientometrics which has markedly developed over the last four decades. The purpose of this study was to map the structure of surgery discipline in Science Citation Index (SCI), during the period 2000 to 2010. This paper is descriptive - analytical and using scientometric techniques. The number of records is 83426. This study is based on bibliographic data retrieved from the Web of Science (gathering tools). The data contain all types of documents published in surgery between 2000 and 2010. The records are processed by HistCite, Pajek and VOSviewer in order to generate chronological and other tables as well as historiographs which highlight the most-cited works in and outside the collection. USA had the greatest publishing, i.e. 24,533 (29.41%) documents; also, The status of research in Iran has been compared with other world and Middle East countries that Iran, with 0.34% rating is the 33rd in the world and the 3rd in the Middle East. Regarding their subject area, most of the articles, i.e. 34.85% documents, dealt with “surgery”. As for their source of publication, 14.68% articles had been published in the CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM CARDIOLOGY. it is noteworthy that, In order to improve Surgery scientific publications of Iranian universities and research centers, appropriate policies should be developed while being continuously monitored by Iranian Ministry Science and Health and universities research policy makers. Also, surgery Scientists of our country should have paid more attention to the field of laparoscopy.