Web of Science is one of the largest and most authoritative scientific databases covering a huge number of publications in various fields of science. This platform is an important tool for scientists, as it allows them not only to publish their research but also to monitor current trends in science, their ranking, and search for materials for their research. In this article, we will review the main types of publications available in Web of Science and their features.
Web of Science: features of the database
Web of Science – is one of the most popular and authoritative scientometric databases containing more than 90 million scientific documents. It was created by Clarivate Analytics back in the 1960s, and since then, Web of Science has become an important tool for scientists, researchers, academic institutions, and organisations around the world.
Thanks to the ability to conduct in-depth searches for publications, citations, and authors, the database is an indispensable resource for scientific activities, helping scientists to access relevant materials and analyse scientific achievements in various disciplines.
Advantages of using Web of Science:
- access to large amounts of information (22 thousand indexed journals);
- a wide range of scientific disciplines (at this link you will find a table that presents all available scientific fields);
- citation analysis (using Web of Science, you can track the number of citations of specific publications);
- assessment of scientific productivity using indices (Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), etc;)
- advanced search function (the ability to use various filters to optimise the search query);
- intuitive interface.
What data is contained in the WoS database?
It is worth noting that the Web of Science database contains more than 90 million scientific publications in various disciplines. Accordingly, the available materials are of different types, ranging from scientific articles to reviews of theatre productions.
The table below shows all types of documents that can be found on the WoS platform.
| Document Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Article | Original research published in academic journals. |
| Art Exhibit Review | Review of art exhibitions, artifacts, and collections. |
| Bibliography | A list of writings on a specific subject, often with critical notes. |
| Biographical-Item | Articles or obituaries about an individual's life. |
| Book | A monograph or publication on a specific topic. |
| Book Chapter | A chapter in a book dedicated to a specific theme or topic. |
| Book Review | A critical evaluation of a book's content, style, and significance. |
| Correction | A correction of errors found in previously published articles. |
| Dance Performance Review | Review of dance performances or productions. |
| Data Paper | A scholarly paper describing a dataset, focusing on metadata rather than analysis. |
| Database Review | A critical review of a database's content and functionality. |
| Early Access | An article published online before it is assigned to a specific volume and issue. |
| Editorial Material | Articles reflecting opinions, editorials, interviews, or discussions. |
| Excerpt | A short section or fragment of a larger work. |
| Expression of Concern | Notification about potential integrity issues in a published article. |
| Fiction, Creative Prose | Creative writing, such as short stories or essays. |
| Film Review | Review of a motion picture or film. |
| Hardware Review | Evaluation of physical computer components, such as keyboards or drives. |
| Item Withdrawal | Announcement of a manuscript withdrawal, with reasons for its removal. |
| Letter | Correspondence from readers to the editor, often discussing previously published material. |
| Meeting | Coverage of meeting abstracts or conference proceedings. |
| Meeting Abstract | Abstracts of papers presented at a conference or symposium. |
| Meeting Summary | Summary of various meeting abstracts or conference sessions. |
| Music Performance Review | Review of live music performances, such as concerts or recitals. |
| Music Score | The written sheet music or arrangement for a musical composition. |
| Music Score Review | Evaluation of a musical score or collection of scores. |
| News Item | A short news article or current event update. |
| Poetry | Compositions written in verse. |
| Proceedings Paper | Full papers presented at conferences or meetings, often published in proceedings. |
| Publication with Expression of Concern | A publication with a formal expression of concern about its integrity. |
| Record Review | Review of recorded music or speeches. |
| Reprint | An article that has been republished after its original release. |
| Retracted Publication | An article that has been officially retracted due to errors or ethical concerns. |
| Retraction | A formal retraction notice for a published article. |
| Review | A critical review or survey of published research. |
| Script | A script for a film, play, TV, or radio show. |
| Software Review | Evaluation of computer softwareanalysingng its features and functions. |
| Theater Review | Review theatre productions or plays. |
| TV Review, Radio Review | Reviews of TV programs or radio broadcasts. |
| Withdrawn Publication | A publication that has been withdrawn by the author or editor. |
Main types of scientific publications in Web of Science
1. Scientific articles
Scientific articles – are one of the most common types of publications in Web of Science. They contain original research, new results, theories, or methods. These papers are published in scientific journals indexed by Web of Science after a peer review process.
Publication in reputable peer-reviewed journals allows researchers to improve their scientometric indicators, receive funding and grants, and obtain academic degrees.
2. Conference materials
Conference materials – are collections of articles, scientific abstracts or reports presented at scientific conferences, seminars and symposia. Conference proceedings can be published in various formats: from traditional printed collections to electronic publications posted on websites or digital media. They may contain both full papers and short abstracts that briefly describe the main ideas and conclusions of the research.
3. Monographs
A monograph – is a scientific work devoted to a comprehensive consideration of a specific problem, topic or aspect within a particular scientific field. Monographs can be either individual, written by one author, or collective, created by a group of researchers.
- An author's monograph is a scientific work written by one scientist who independently researches a particular topic in a particular field.
- A collective monograph is a research paper written by a group of researchers. Each author contributes by presenting his or her own research results, which allows for a comprehensive overview of the issue.
For scientists, a monograph is a strong confirmation of scientific qualifications, as it demonstrates a deep knowledge of the subject. In addition, this type of scientific work can serve as a form of testing a dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy or Doctor of Science.
4. Books and book chapters
The Web of Science database presents books and book chapters as important types of scientific publications. The Book Citation Index collection includes edited scientific books and book chapters that meet strict selection criteria.
Books are indexed as complete publications that contain original research or a comprehensive overview of a particular scientific field. They undergo a rigorous review process and are selected based on such criteria as scientific contribution, quality of publishing, completeness of bibliographic data and citations.
Book chapters are treated as separate scientific works within a larger publication. Each chapter has its own entry in the database with the authors, title, keywords, and a list of references. This allows tracking the citation of specific chapters independently of the book as a whole.
For researchers, the availability of books and book chapters in WoS is a valuable resource in the process of conducting research, as they provide access to in-depth theoretical and practical materials.
5. Preprints
Preprints are a preliminary version of a scientific work (articles, monographs, reports) that has not yet been formally peer-reviewed and published in a scientific journal. They allow researchers to get feedback from their peers before the official publication, which helps to improve their work.
Preprints are often posted on specialised platforms such as arXiv or bioRxiv, where they become available to a wide range of researchers almost immediately after being uploaded. It is important to note that although preprints are not formally peer-reviewed, they still need to meet basic scientific standards and ethical norms of research.
The variety of types of publications in Web of Science provides researchers with ample opportunities to present their research results. Each of these formats has its own advantages and is best suited to certain purposes of scientific communication. It not only facilitates the exchange of knowledge between researchers, but also the comprehensive development of scientific disciplines.
"Scientific Publications" is ready to help you with publishing in Web of Science. Our experts will help you choose a scientific journal that matches the topic of your research, as well as accompany you at all stages of publication. Fill out the form below, and our manager will contact you during the working day. Together to new scientific achievements!
