Scopus Database as a Source of Representing Bulgarian Science to the International Academic Community: The Present and Future Prospects

Abstract

The assessment of research performance using international abstract and citation databases, or so-called global citation indexes, is currently the key criterion against which the advance of science is measured practically in all countries. In 2004 the publishing company Elsevier launched a new database – Scopus, which became a major competitor with the reputable resource Web of Science operating since 1964. Developing very successfully, Scopus has become the leading and largest abstract and citation database in the world. The indicators and data provided by Scopus are used in international university rankings and, in general, in the performance assessment of researchers, scientific schools, organizations and countries all over the world. The sources of such information are publications coming from over 150 countries, both from leading international journals and publishing houses, as well as from regional titles indexed in international databases. This paper sets out to characterize the Scopus database as a whole, along with its categories and inclusion criteria. Bulgarian Scopus publications and titles are analyzed, with the information about 48 Bulgarian journals reviewed for inclusion and included in Scopus given. The number of Bulgarian journals included in Scopus is expected to rise, provided that international publication standards and Scopus requirements are met.