VOSviewer
VOSviewer
Software for constructing and visualizing bibliometric networks based on citations, co-authorship, co-citation, bibliographic coupling and term co-occurrence.
Developer:
Leiden University / Centre for Science and Technology Studies
Our Take
VOSviewer is a useful option for bibliometric analysis when you want to map co-authorship, citations, co-citation, bibliographic coupling, or keyword co-occurrence. It can turn a large export from scholarly databases into network visualizations that help reveal clusters, influential connections, and patterns worth investigating.
A visually compelling map can still be misleading if the input data are incomplete, duplicates remain, or thresholds and counting methods are poorly chosen. Clusters show relationships in the selected dataset; they do not by themselves explain why a field developed or prove the importance of a topic.
Record the data source, query, search date, cleaning rules, counting method, and visualization settings. Interpret clusters alongside the underlying publications and explain methodological choices clearly so readers can understand how the map was produced.
Key Features
Bibliometric network mapping, Co-authorship and co-citation maps, Keyword co-occurrence analysis, Overlay and density visualization
Best For
Bibliometric mapping
Research Tasks
Map collaboration patterns in a field; visualize keyword clusters; explore citation relationships across a corpus; present a literature landscape with transparent data-cleaning choices.
Pricing
$0 — software can be used freely for any purpose. Java 8 or later is required.