Scientometrics

Researcher Profiles: A Systematic Review of Approaches, Metrics, and Dimensions of Research Performance

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Objectives: To synthesize and contextualize a variety of approaches in the scientific literature for identifying researchers and characterizing and measuring their scholarly activities and research outputs, providing elements that guide the construction of researcher profiles that offer a global and contextualized perspective.
Methodology: A systematic review of the scientific literature was conducted following the SALSA and PRISMA frameworks, based on a Scopus search that retrieved 747 records. After applying inclusión and exclusion criteria, 93 documents were analyzed using text mining techniques and topic modeling (LDA), complemented by an in-depth interpretative analysis of the articles’ content.
Results: The review identified four main thematic axes encompassing researcher identification and personal attributes, academic trajectory, performance metrics in scientific and alternative contexts, distinctions, and dynamics of collaboration and work within research groups. These axes serve as a conceptual and practical guide for developing researcher profiles with enhanced contextualization.

Research on Research Visibility

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This editorial explores the significance of research visibility within the evolving landscape of academic communication, mainly focusing on the role of search engines as online meta-markets shaping the impact of research. With the rapid expansion of scientific output and the increasing reliance on algorithm-driven platforms such as Google and Google Scholar, the online visibility of scholarly work has become an essential factor in determining its reach and influence. The need for more rigorous research into academic search engine optimization (A-SEO), a field still in its infancy despite its growing relevance, is also discussed, highlighting key challenges in the field, including the lack of robust research methodologies, the skepticism within the academic community regarding the commercialization of science, and the need for standardization in reporting and measurement techniques. This editorial thus invites a multidisciplinary dialogue on the future of research visibility, with significant implications for academic publishing, science communication, research evaluation, and the global scientific ecosystem.