Bibliometric Approaches in Non-Doctrinal Research

Abstract

<p>This chapter introduces bibliometrics using advanced, computer-aided bibliographic search and analysis methods. ‘Bibliometrics’ is the statistical analysis of publications. Bibliometric methods are ‘non-doctrinal’ in the broad sense that the sources of information are not legal documents, and the advanced methods described are relatively novel for doctrinal scholars. The chapter outlines six steps to implementing bibliometric techniques: selecting a suitable publications database, choosing a system for managing references, identifying relevant literature, mapping bibliometric networks, bibliometric analysis and, finally, reading and analysing the selected works. As with any research method, bibliometrics has limitations and potential biases, which the chapter canvasses. Nonetheless, bibliometric approaches can provide systematic, traceable and transparent processes to help environmental law scholars sift through and prioritise the volume of potentially relevant material, providing objective evidence that they have selected references with peer group credibility. Such transparency can foster collegiality and contribute to rigour and continuous improvement in environmental law research.</p>