The state of Slovak scientific literature published between 1993 and 2022: a bibliometric overview focused on social sciences and humanities

Abstract The scientific output of Slovakia, particularly in the social sciences and humanities, has faced considerable criticism regarding its quality and international impact. This study presents a bibliometric analysis of Slovak scientific literature in the social sciences and humanities from 1993 to 2022. Utilizing data from the Central Registry of Publication Activity (CREPČ; Slovak universities; N = 230,606), the EPCA database (Slovak Academy of Sciences; N = 9,844), Scopus (N = 25,677), and Altmetric (N = 681), we examined publication types, language use, open-access availability, authorship patterns, international collaborations, and impact metrics. The results indicate that Slovak research output in social sciences and humanities is characterized by a high proportion of local-language publications and a very limited presence in high-impact, international journals. Additionally, the citation impact and international collaboration rates are lower than the EU and OECD averages. Despite limitations, some positive trends, such as an increase in open-access publications, have been observed. The study highlights the need for strategic reforms in the Slovak academic system to improve research quality and enhance international visibility, offering insights for policymakers and academic institutions.