The Combination of Content Maps by Co-Word Analysis

One of the well known relational biblimetric methods ist the co-word analysis. The co.occurrence of words can be illustrated in a matrix. By the means of various mathematical methods like cluster analysis and other the matrix can be illustrated in a two-dimensional science-map that represents a well structured rendition of information. The key question of this paper is how can different objects e.g. key-words and authors or institutions be linked by co-word analysis. In bibliographic documents key-words, authors and institutions are elements of each document. Thus we can talk of a direct linkage between these objects according to the joint occur in one document. the properties of one author to appear with certain keywords in certain articles allows a linkage over the document. In direct linkage can be found if documents, raised from the connection between authors and key-words, are eliminated in the functional realationship and new networks are generated which show an indirect linkage of authors on the basis of keywords. This paper will show a method how different networks can be linked directly and indirectly by using co-word analysis. The combination of content maps by co-word analysis will be shown using a technology monitoring concerning fuel cells.