Thomson Scientific Analyzes Ten Years of Influential Research to Rank Top One Percent of Scientific Papers

Thomson Scientific Analyzes Ten Years of Influential Research to Rank Top One Percent of Scientific Papers

May 15, 2007

Newly Published Study Ranks Countries by Volume of Research
Output and Research Influence


    PHILADELPHIA and LONDON, May 15 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
Thomson Scientific, part of The Thomson Corporation (NYSE:
TOC; TSX: TOC) and leading provider of information
solutions to the worldwide research and business
communities, today announced the results of an in-depth
study of which nations have produced the largest number of
elite papers over the last decade.  In the May/June issue
of Science Watch, a subscription newsletter that uses
unique citation data from Thomson Scientific to provide
rankings, interviews and reports on today's most
significant science, 13 countries are ranked based on both
the volume and percentage of published scientific papers
(in journals listed in Thomson Scientific's Web of
Science(R)) that reached the top one percent of most-cited
papers worldwide.

    "This survey takes a different approach when
ranking elite papers both overall and in specialty
fields," said Chris King, editor of Science Watch. 
"We examined these papers on a global scale and
identified which nations are leading scientific thought
across all concentrations."

    The United States has produced a staggering number of
scientific papers over the last decade -- more than 2.9
million -- and took the lead in both the total papers among
the top one percent, and the percentage of total papers
among the top one percent. 

    "Considering the sheer volume of papers published
by the United States, it is no surprise to see the country
top the rankings of total number of papers among the top
one percent," said King.  "The fact that the U.S.
also leads the rankings in percentage of papers among the
top one percent demonstrates its tremendous influence on
modern scientific thought." 
 
    Japan ranked second with 790,510 published papers or
roughly one-third of the United States' publication output.
 England also had a profound influence by placing second
highest in both total number of papers and percentage of
papers among the top one percent by having published
660,808, or about one-fourth of the United States' total
papers.

    Total Papers in All Fields from 1996-2006


    Country                              Total Papers,
                                          1996-2006        
       

    United States                         2,907,592 
    Japan                                   790,510 
    Germany                                 742,917 
    England                                 660,808 
    France                                  535,629 
    China                                   422,993 
    Canada                                  394,727 
    Italy                                   369,138 
    Spain                                   263,469 
    Australia                               248,189 
    India                                   211,063 
    South Korea                             180,329 
    Taiwan                                  124,940 


    Total Papers Among Top 1% Most Cited in All Fields



    Country                              Papers Among Top  
             
                                         1% Most Cited     
             

    United States                            54,516 
    England                                  10,090 
    Germany                                   9,427 
    France                                    5,967 
    Japan                                     5,662 
    Canada                                    5,301 
    Italy                                     3,825 
    Australia                                 2,804 
    China                                     2,189 
    Spain                                     2,155 
    South Korea                                 929 
    India                                       694 
    Taiwan                                      550 


    Percentage of Total Papers in All Fields Among Top 1%
Most Cited 


                                        Percentage of
Papers                     
    Country                                 Among Top 1%   
                           

    United States                              1.87 
    England                                    1.53 
    Canada                                     1.34 
    Germany                                    1.27 
    Australia                                  1.13 
    France                                     1.11 
    Italy                                      1.04 
    Spain                                      0.82 
    Japan                                      0.72 
    China                                      0.52 
    South Korea                                0.52 
    Taiwan                                     0.44 
    India                                      0.33 


    About The Thomson Corporation

    The Thomson Corporation ( http://www.thomson.com ) is a
global leader in providing essential electronic workflow
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operational headquarters in Stamford, Conn., Thomson
provides value-added information, software tools and
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TOC).

    Thomson Scientific is a business of The Thomson
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development-from discovery to analysis to product
development and distribution. Thomson Scientific
information solutions can be found at
scientific.thomson.com.

    NOTE: For information on subscribing to Science Watch,
contact Christopher King tel: [phone]

    Note To Editors:  For more information about the elite
papers rankings, contact Chris Lukach at 856-988-6560, ext.
15 or [e-mail].


    For more information, please contact:

     Chris Lukach 
     Anne Klein & Associates
     Tel:   [phone] ext. 15
     Email: [e-mail]