An analytical framework for the study of geographical places in the scientific literature

Scientometrics has traditionally examined place in terms of author affiliations and, as such, has tended to overlook the more detailed use of geographical data in scholarly publications to design indicators of the scientific literature. This study constructs a comprehensive framework to formalize and unify the Scientometrics analysis of places (Spatial Framework to identify Bibliographic Relationships or SFBR), constituting three main stages: identification, description, and measurement. We present five descriptive dimensions and a set of 57 core metrics for scrutinizing the place-related features of science. These metrics encompass author-, publication-, and place-level parameters, categorized according to the specific section (zone) containing the geographical information (i.e., citing author affiliation, the body of the text, and cited author affiliation). The SFBR serves as an innovative tool for unraveling the significance and influence of place in scientific literature. By considering place a fundamental element in Scientometrics studies, it extends the boundaries of spatial bibliometrics and provides a more holistic understanding of place as research object.