University Of Melbourne Leads with 21 Top-Three Appearances; Walter & Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research Takes Top Honors in Overall Impact
PHILADELPHIA and LONDON, Oct. 9 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Thomson Scientific, part of The Thomson Corporation (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC) and leading provider of information solutions to the worldwide research and business communities, today announced the results of a study analyzing Australian institutions’ research influence and scientific output. In the September/October issue of Science Watch, Thomson Scientific analyzes data from its Australian University Indicators 1981-2006 to evaluate universities and research institutions based on total citations and impact -- the average number of citations per paper. Science Watch uses unique citation data to provide rankings, interviews and reports on today’s most significant science.
The study ranks institutions by impact and total citations across 21 fields as well as overall output and impact. The University of Melbourne occupies the lead position in this survey by frequently ranking among the top three in many of the scientific fields -- appearances in 11 scientific fields ranked by total citations and 10 fields by impact. In five scientific fields -- physics, neurosciences, pharmacology, microbiology, and psychology/psychiatry -- Melbourne ranked in both citations and impact.
"As we have seen with previous studies, large universities, such as The University of Melbourne tend to be the most productive and have the highest research output. It is, therefore, not surprising to also see these powerhouses rank highly in regard to citation rankings," said Christopher King, editor of Science Watch. "However, despite publishing fewer papers than the large universities, smaller research institutes made a good showing in the impact rankings. For example, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research topped all other universities and institutions in overall impact with an average of nearly 20 citations per paper."
Of total citations garnered by the institutions that ranked among the top three in these 21 fields, the University of Sydney collected the highest overall total, with more than 64,000. Of that number, slightly more than half-32,420 citations-accrued in the field of clinical medicine alone, thus giving the University of Sydney top honors in that field. The University of Melbourne, with more than 51,000 citations tallied in its respective top-three placements, and the University of New South Wales, with more than 41,000 citations, take second and third place, respectively.
Institutions Ranked by Total Citations Across 21 Fields (2002-2006)
(Citation totals reflect only those fields in which each institution
appeared among the top three)
Number of Total
Citations in "Top
Rank Institution Three" Rankings
1 University of Sydney 64,288
2 University of Melbourne 51,798
3 University of New South Wales 41,031
4 University of Queensland 28,818
5 Australian National University 25,854
By placing second for total citations as well as appearing 10 times in a top-three spot across 21 fields for impact, the University of Melbourne displays both productivity and influence. The university is followed by fellow powerhouses, the University of Sydney with six appearances, and the University of New South Wales and the University of Queensland, each with five appearances.
Institutions Ranked in the Top Three by Impact Across 21 Fields (2002-2006)
Number of Top-
Rank Institution Three Fields
1 University of Melbourne 10
2 University of Sydney 6
3 University of New South Wales 5
3 University of Queensland 5
Publishing fewer papers, it is difficult for smaller research institutions to rank highly in the citation counts, but these institutions can shine in overall impact rankings. The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute garnered first place over every other institution with the highest impact across all fields with an average of nearly 20 citations per paper. The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, with an average of almost 14 citations per paper, and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, with close to 13 average citations per paper, round out the top three institutes with the highest impact.
Highest Impact Overall (2002-2006)
Rank Institution Citations Per Paper
1 Walter & Eliza Hall Institute 19.52
2 Garvan Institute of Medical Research 13.73
3 Peter MacCallum Cancer Center 12.37
4 Baker Medical Research Institute 11.71
5 Queensland Institute of Medical Research 9.21
6 Howard Florey Institute 8.95
7 Murdoch Children’s Research Institute 6.96
8 Institute of Advanced Studies 6.61
9 Australian National University 5.71
10 University of New South Wales 5.45
The University of Sydney ranked as the most prolific institution with more than 13,000 papers published between 2002-2006. The University of Queensland with 11,503 papers follows Sydney, and the University of Melbourne is a close third with 11,220.
Most Prolific Overall (2002-2006)
Rank Institution Papers
1 University of Sydney 13,325
2 University of Queensland 11,503
3 University of Melbourne 11,220
4 University of New South Wales 9,588
5 Monash University 8,516
6 Australian National University 8,104
7 University of Western Australia 7,093
8 University of Adelaide 6,201
9 University of Newcastle 2,847
10 Queensland University of Technology 2,617
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NOTE: For information on subscribing to Science Watch, contact Christopher King, tel: +1 215.823.5341.
