Bibliometrics of orthopaedic articles published by authors of Germanophone countries

Excerpt

Scientific publications are an important part of our professional environment, used as a measurement for academic productivity. They highlight success in medical research and also in other major fields of activity [1, 2]. In regard to the number of orthopaedic publications, some countries can be identified as major contributors. The United States are generating the highest volume of orthopaedic scientific articles per year worldwide, and the European countries contribute by the second largest number of articles [3]. Germanophone countries (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland) account for the highest quantity of Orthopaedic research articles within Europe [3]. The volume of surgeons and need for communication within the national society generated one of the most prominent non-English specialty Journal named “Der Unfallchirurg”, from 1894-1986 “Monatsschrift für Unfallheilkunde”,  and published by Springer with a tradition of 124 years and an impressive list of authors, correspondents, and referents. Other non-English specialty Journals, such as the French “Revue de Chirurgie Orthopédique” or the Italian Journal “Minerva Ortopedica e Traumatologica” switched to English for communicating research through a more visible platform. However, German-speaking scientists communicate very well in German as well as in English expression Journals. Therefore, the papers published in “International Orthopaedics” represent a small part of the volume of research published by German-speaking colleagues. …