University of Western Ontario and University of British Columbia also make strong showings
Philadelphia, PA USA-London UK - September 27, 2005 - Based on impact (or average citations per paper) and total citations, the University
of Toronto is the “top performer” in multiple fields among Canadian
research universities. This is according to the September/October issue of Science
Watch—the bi-monthly newsletter published by Thomson Scientific,
a business of The Thomson Corporation.
The Science Watch study uses the Thomson Scientific University Science
Indicators to examine the research of 46 Canadian universities in 21 scientific
fields spanning 2000 to 2004.
Between 2000 and 2004, the University of Toronto produced the most work—25,883
papers published in journals indexed by Thomson Scientific. The University of
British Columbia produced the second highest number of papers, 14,819; while
McGill University published 13,996.
In total citations, the University of Toronto topped 15 fields: chemistry;
materials science; engineering; space science; mathematics; ecology/environment;
clinical medicine; immunology; biology and biochemistry; molecular biology/genetics;
neurosciences; pharmacology; psychology/psychiatry; education; and economics
and business. The University of British Columbia ranked first in four fields:
physics; geosciences; plant and animal science; and microbiology.
When examining impact (or average citations per paper), the University of Toronto
ranked first in the five fields: engineering, microbiology, biology & biochemistry,
molecular biology/genetics and education. The University of Western Ontario
topped the fields of immunology, pharmacology, and economics & business.
.
Top-Ranking Universities in 21 Scientific Fields, 2000-2004
ranked by Impact (average citations per paper) and Total Citations
| Scientific Field |
Citations Per Paper (Impact) |
Total Citations |
| Physics |
Carleton University (22.33) |
Univ. British Columbia (12,839) |
| Chemistry |
University of Calgary (5.81) |
University of Toronto (8,258) |
| Materials Science |
Dalhousie University (6.50) |
University of Toronto (1,356) |
| Engineering |
University of Toronto (2.42) |
University of Toronto (3,027) |
| Geosciences |
University of Victoria (5.56) |
Univ. British Columbia (2,291) |
| Space Science |
Univ. British Columbia (26.54) |
University of Toronto (5,313) |
| Computer Science |
University of Waterloo (1.98) |
University of Waterloo (581) |
| Mathematics |
Simon Fraser University (2.17) |
University of Toronto (584) |
| Ecology/Environment |
Trent University (6.52) |
University of Toronto (3,060) |
| Agricultural Sciences |
University of Montreal (4.73) |
University of Guelph (1,488) |
| Plant/Animal Science |
University of Waterloo (4.50) |
Univ. British Columbia (3,848) |
| Clinical Medicine |
McMaster University (10.26) |
University of Toronto (84,325) |
| Immunology |
Univ. Western Ontario (16.03) |
University of Toronto (7,198) |
| Microbiology |
University of Toronto (8.27) |
Univ. British Columbia (2,647) |
| Biology & Biochemistry |
University of Toronto (9.57) |
University of Toronto (22,251) |
| Molec. Bio./Genetics |
University of Toronto (17.25) |
University of Toronto (22,273) |
| Neurosciences |
University of Ottawa (9.33) |
University of Toronto (17,173) |
| Pharmacology |
Univ. Western Ontario (12.17) |
University of Toronto (2,787) |
| Psychology/Psychiatry |
Dalhousie University (5.86) |
University of Toronto (7,225) |
| Education |
University of Toronto (2.05) |
University of Toronto (268) |
| Economics & Business |
Univ. Western Ontario (2.25) |
University of Toronto (579) |
“Different citation measurements produce different results,” said
Christopher King, editor of Science Watch. “Total-citation rankings
tend to favor larger institutions, since publishing a high volume of papers
often means more citations. Examining the university’s impact removes
this advantage by highlighting the significance of each individual work. By
topping both rankings, University of Toronto solidifies its stance as a Canadian
research powerhouse by achieving high output and significantly influential work.”
For more information on these rankings, including the second- and third-place
rankings in each field, read the September/October issue of Science Watch,
or contact Rodney Yancey, telephone
+1 215-386-6362
Additional information
Articles from Science Watch newsletters prior to 2005 are available
on the Science Watch
Web site .
For information on subscribing to Science Watch, contact Rodney
Yancey, telephone +1 215-386-6362
