Document Type : Short Communication(s)

Authors

1 MSc, Medical Librarianship and Information Sciences, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.

2 PhD Student, Medical Genetics, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

3 PhD, Assistant Professor, Biotechnology, Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Scientific collaboration usually demonstrates the quality of activities performed by collaborating researchers and institutes. Sharing expertise and experience is one of the main methods of high quality science production. Lack of collaboration leads to institutional isolation and prevents science expansion. Indices proposed for collaboration measurement so far do not assess the level of cooperation in achieving the main goal of the research groups and their scientists. On the other hand, a scientist’s maximum achievement will be made when he works as part of a team with a defined goal and a team succeeds most when it focuses on a defined subject. Therefore, only collaborations that are formed for promotion of the goals of the team would be considered constructive. Here, we propose two new indices, entitled "collaboration h-index" and "collaborating researcher h-index", to measure the degree of collaborative activities among departments and researchers. Keywords: Evaluation Studies; Cooperative Behavior; Research Personnel.