Known and Hidden Relationships of Knowledge Organization Research in the World: a Co-Citation Analysis

Knowledge organization is one of the old and basic topics of knowledge and information science. The aim of this study is to conduct a scientific mapping of knowledge organization based on author co-citation analysis.

The type of research was applied by the citation analysis method. The research records are compiled based on all articles in the two journals of Knowledge Organization and Cataloging and Classification Quarterly and keywords related to the field of knowledge organization indexed in Web of Science database from 1900 to 2019. Finally, 17,950 records were analyzed in full with plain text format. The total number of citations was 360143. In this study, cuts were made for authors who received 130 citations and more, numbering 178; therefore, a 178 by 178 matrix was used to draw the co-citation network and the authors’ co-citation network was drawn. Then the created symmetric matrix was transformed into a correlation matrix. To draw a matrix BibExcel software, to analyze co-citation networks UCINET software, to draw co-citation grid VOSviewer software, to draw a dendrogram diagram SPSS software and to draw a strategic chart Excel software were used.

The findings show that Horland was highly productive and Salton has highly cited articles in the field of knowledge organization. Robertson and Salton also have the most co-citations in this area. The intellectual structure of the field of knowledge organization consists of 11 main clusters. The largest cluster (cluster 4) consists of 36 researchers dedicated to information retrieval. After that, cluster 1 with 35 authors, which is in the subject of seeking behavior-information retrieval. Categories 10 and 11 also have 18 researchers each, covering topics such as cataloging and classification, and knowledge organization. Cluster 9, with seven authors is the smallest cluster that deals with the subject of scientometrics. Combined clusters, scientometrics, ontology, and cataloging and classification have the highest density. Information retrieval and knowledge organization clusters also have the highest centrality.

The creation of a co-citation network among the authors of the knowledge organization shows the intellectual connection between the authors. Not all prolific writers in this field are necessarily well-known authors. Issues of information retrieval, information behavior, and knowledge organization play an important role in knowledge organization research. Highly productive and high cited authors also cite a more effective presence on the scientific map. The co-citation analysis of the authors can show the most influential authors and the relationships between them. These analyzes can be used in macro-policies and policy-making.