The growing social importance of scientific knowledge leads to the gradual penetration of scientometric indicators in the sphere that regulates the activities of researchers. At present, publishing and citation indicators are declared in government documents as target indicators of the state of science. The article presents general approaches to the scientometric analysis of activity of research institution; an attempt is made to estimate the publication activity of the institutions included in the Economics Section of the Social Sciences Department of RAS, as well as research and education organizations of the Vologda Oblast. The statistical data of the Russian Science Citation Index (RSCI) were used as a tool for evaluating the research work. Organizations have been ranked according to several criteria: the total number of publications in RSCI, the number of citations and the value of the Hirsch index. The results of the research indicate that at present, efficient administrative decisions in the sphere of science require establishment of the system for objective evaluation of research results. The Russian Science Citation Index is viewed as part of such a system. Together with highly qualified expert assessments that make it possible to consider the specifics of research activity, the scientometric indicators presented in RSCI as well, in the long term can be used for objective and comprehensive evaluation of scientific potential of the regions and the country as a whole
Keywords
scientometrics, citation index, rsci, abstract database, assessment of the efficiency of research
activities, publication activity