Tag: Bibliometric Analysis

VOSviewer: A Powerful Tool for Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis

By Shashikant Nishant Sharma

VOSviewer (Visualization of Similarities Viewer) is a widely used software tool for constructing and visualizing bibliometric networks. Developed by Nees Jan van Eck and Ludo Waltman at the Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) of Leiden University, the Netherlands, VOSviewer plays a crucial role in conducting systematic and in-depth literature reviews by enabling researchers to analyze large volumes of scientific data from databases like Scopus, Web of Science, and Dimensions.

Key Features of VOSviewer

  1. Network Visualization
    • Visualizes bibliometric networks such as:
      • Co-authorship (authors, institutions, countries)
      • Co-citation (authors, sources)
      • Bibliographic coupling
      • Co-occurrence of keywords or terms
  2. Text Mining
    • Extracts important terms from the titles and abstracts of scientific articles.
    • Useful for identifying emerging trends and patterns in specific research fields.
  3. Interactive Visual Maps
    • Nodes (items) represent units like authors or terms.
    • Edges (links) show relationships like citation or co-occurrence.
    • Color, size, and distance indicate clusters, strength of connections, and relevance.
  4. Clustering
    • Groups related items together using clustering algorithms.
    • Helps to understand the structure and thematic areas of the research domain.
  5. Ease of Use
    • Simple interface with support for large-scale data.
    • Export and integration options for further analysis.

Why Use VOSviewer for Literature Review?

Conducting a literature review involves analyzing, synthesizing, and identifying gaps in existing research. VOSviewer enhances this process in the following ways:

1. Mapping Research Trends

  • Identifies frequently occurring keywords and their interrelationships.
  • Detects emerging research topics and how they have evolved over time.

2. Identifying Influential Authors and Journals

  • Through co-citation and bibliographic coupling, VOSviewer highlights leading contributors and key sources in a field.

3. Cluster Analysis for Thematic Categorization

  • Helps categorize literature into coherent themes.
  • Facilitates systematic classification and thematic discussion.

4. Detecting Research Gaps

  • By visually analyzing clusters and isolated nodes, researchers can identify under-researched areas.

5. Efficient and Scalable Analysis

  • Handles large datasets (thousands of articles) quickly.
  • Reduces manual effort in reviewing vast literature.

Steps to Use VOSviewer in Literature Review

  1. Data Collection
    • Export bibliographic data (in RIS, CSV, or BibTeX format) from databases like:
      • Scopus
      • Web of Science
      • Dimensions
      • CrossRef
      • PubMed (indirectly through conversion)
  2. Data Preprocessing
    • Clean and filter data to avoid duplication and irrelevant entries.
    • Use VOSviewer’s thesaurus file to merge similar terms (e.g., “AI” and “Artificial Intelligence”).
  3. Import into VOSviewer
    • Choose the appropriate analysis type (co-authorship, co-occurrence, citation, etc.)
    • Select items and thresholds (e.g., minimum number of occurrences)
  4. Visualization and Interpretation
    • Explore clusters, link strengths, and node proximities.
    • Analyze based on size, color coding (e.g., citation impact, publication year), and linkages.
  5. Reporting
    • Take screenshots or export visualizations.
    • Include maps in your literature review to support your narrative.

Example Use Case: Literature Review on Artificial Intelligence in Education

  • Keywords Co-occurrence Map reveals dominant themes like “machine learning”, “student engagement”, “learning analytics”.
  • Author Co-citation Map identifies leading researchers in the domain.
  • Temporal Analysis (color by year) shows how the field evolved, e.g., shift from adaptive learning to generative AI.

Limitations of VOSviewer

  • Limited to bibliometric and text-based data; cannot assess article quality.
  • Interpretation requires domain knowledge to avoid misrepresentation.
  • Doesn’t support data from Google Scholar due to export limitations.
  • Lacks in-depth statistical tools (needs to be combined with R, Python, or Bibliometrix for advanced analysis).

Integration with Other Tools

  • Can be combined with Bibliometrix (R package) or CiteSpace for deeper bibliometric or citation analysis.
  • Works well alongside NVivo or ATLAS.ti for qualitative review.

Conclusion

VOSviewer is an essential tool for researchers undertaking systematic, scoping, or narrative literature reviews. By enabling visualization of the intellectual structure of a research field, it transforms complex bibliographic data into understandable patterns. Whether mapping keyword trends, identifying top authors, or classifying research themes, VOSviewer adds scientific rigor and clarity to literature reviews.

References

  • Dehalwar, K., & Sharma, S. N. (2023). Fundamentals of research writing and uses of research methodologies. Edupedia Publications Pvt Ltd.
  • Sharma, S. N., & Dehalwar, K. (2025). A Systematic Literature Review of Transit-Oriented Development to Assess Its Role in Economic Development of City. Transportation in Developing Economies, 11(2), 23.
  • Sharma, S. N., & Dehalwar, K. (2024). Review of Evergreen ILS: Highly-Scalable Open Source Library Management Solution. Available at SSRN 4853757.
  • Sharma, S. N., & Dehalwar, K. (2025). Assessing the Transit-Oriented Development and Travel Behavior of the Residents in Developing Countries: A Case of Delhi, India. Journal of Urban Planning and Development, 151(3), 05025018.
  • Sharma, S. N. (2024). Understanding Scientometric Analysis: Applications and Implications.Track2Training
  • Sharma, S. N. (2018). Review of National Urban Policy Framework 2018. Think India Journal, 21(3), 74-81.
  • Sharma, S. N., Singh, D., & Dehalwar, K. (2024). Surrogate safety analysis-leveraging advanced technologies for safer roads. Suranaree Journal of Science and Technology, 31(4), 010320.
  • Dehalwar, K., & Sharma, S. N. (2024). Social Injustice Inflicted by Spatial Changes in Vernacular Settings: An Analysis of Published Literature.
  • Van Eck, N. J., & Waltman, L. (2010). Software survey: VOSviewer, a computer program for bibliometric mapping. Scientometrics, 84(2), 523–538. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-009-0146-3
  • VOSviewer Official Website: https://www.vosviewer.com/