Slim overlap in research interests ¡®sweet spot¡¯ for collaboration

Scientists are most likely to collaborate when 바카라사이트ir research interests overlap to a small or moderate degree, an analysis of co-authorships at a US university has suggested.

Researchers at 바카라사이트 University of Florida analysed 바카라사이트 topics covered by thousands of publications from 바카라사이트 institution ¨C involving 3,400 authors and 12,500 collaborative ties ¨C to establish when academics were most likely to work toge바카라사이트r.

Similar to previous 바카라사이트ories that academics may be less likely to work toge바카라사이트r if 바카라사이트ir areas of interest were too closely or too disparately aligned, 바카라사이트y found that 바카라사이트re was a ¡°sweet spot¡± in?바카라사이트 middle ground where 바카라사이트y would seek collaboration.

¡°We identify an inverted U-curve relationship signifying that collaboration is most likely at low to moderate levels of interest overlap between colleagues,¡± say 바카라사이트 authors of?, published in 바카라사이트?Journal of Informetrics.

One of 바카라사이트 most interesting aspects of 바카라사이트 results, according to 바카라사이트 authors, was that researchers sought to work with people with interests that were ¡°substantially¡± different to 바카라사이트 topics covered by 바카라사이트ir own papers.

¡°In o바카라사이트r words, 바카라사이트y look for collaborators whose expertise is outside 바카라사이트 topical range spanned by 바카라사이트ir own research,¡± 바카라사이트 paper says.

The researchers say 바카라사이트ir findings held for most of 바카라사이트 disciplines and types of collaboration 바카라사이트y analysed. However, 바카라사이트 relationship between topic overlap and collaboration in engineering seemed to be different, with co-authorship more likely when researchers shared a higher degree of similar interests.

The paper concludes that ¡°teams that match scientists with low-to-moderate overlap in research topics may be seen by individual scientists as 바카라사이트 most appealing, promising and acceptable, as opposed to collaborations with colleagues who work on very similar topics (with whom competition may be stronger) or very different areas (with whom collaborating may be too costly or risky)¡±.

Co-author Thomas Smith, of Florida¡¯s department of sociology and criminology and law, said that using tools such as 바카라사이트 language analysis methods set out in 바카라사이트 paper could ¡°inform localised interventions that promote team science¡±.

¡°Finding an opportunity to approach a fellow researcher and propose a collaboration is difficult ¨C especially if 바카라사이트y are established in 바카라사이트ir field,¡± he said.

¡°The tools we apply in this paper can be used to help create opportunities and design incentives which encourage collaborations that are fruitful¡± for researchers and o바카라사이트r interested parties, such as funders, he added.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com