Research funding in different SCI disciplines: A comparison analysis based on Web of Science

Quantitative Science Studies, vol. 5, pp. 757–777

Abstract

Abstract To provide valuable insights for shaping future funding policies, in this study, we offer a comprehensive panorama of the research funding across 171 SCI disciplines in the decade 2011–2020, based on more than 13 million scientific literature records from the Web of Science. The relationship between funding and research impact is also explored. To this end, we employ two indicators: the universality and multiplicity of funding, to indicate the funding level and six indicators to gauge the impact advantages of funding. Our findings reveal an upward trend in both the universality (increasing from 66.30% to 74.26%) and multiplicity (increasing from 2.82 to 3.26) of funding over the decade concerned. The allocation of funding varies across disciplines, with life sciences and earth sciences receiving the highest percentage of funding (78.31%) and medicine having the highest multiplicity of funding (3.07). Engineering and computer science have seen relatively rapid growth in terms of universality and multiplicity of funding. Funded articles have a greater impact than unfunded ones. And this impact strengthens as the number of funding grants increases. Through regression analysis, the citation advantage of funding is also proven at the article level, although the usage advantage is not significant.

Authors 6

1. Wencan Tian

   Dalian University of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China

   WISE Lab, Institute of Science of Science and S&T Management, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China

2. Ruonan Cai

   Shandong University

   Affiliation as printed

   Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, China

   School of Business, Shandong University, Weihai 264200, China

3. Zhichao Fang Aachen Centre for Science and Technology Studies

   Leiden University · Renmin University of China

   Affiliation as printed

   Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS), Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands

   Renmin University of China, Beijing, China

   Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS), Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

   School of Information Resource Management, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China

4. Qianqian Xie Aachen Centre for Science and Technology Studies

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS), Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands

   Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS), Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

5. Zhigang Hu corresponding

   South China Normal University

   Affiliation as printed

   South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China

   Institute for Science Technology and Society, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China

6. Xianwen Wang

   Dalian University of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China

   WISE Lab, Institute of Science of Science and S&T Management, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China