Quantifying Neutrosophic Research: A Bibliometric Study

Book excerpt: In recent years, neutrosophic theory has garnered increasing attention within scholarly circles due to its applicability in various domains. Within these domains, the field of decision-making has derived significant advantages from the progressions in neutrosophic theory. Notably, neutrosophic theory has made substantial contributions by advancing and offering a range of aggregation operators and information measures specifically designed for enhancing decision-making processes. In this context, this study aims to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the current research landscape in the field of neutrosophic theory, with a specific focus on understanding its applications and development trends. Our analysis reveals that the scientific literature addresses neutrosophic theory in a diverse range of applications. This examination encompasses a scrutiny of key contributors, affiliated academic institutions, influential publications, and noteworthy journals within the neutrosophic domain. To achieve this, we have curated a dataset comprising scholarly papers retrieved from Clarivate Analytics’ Web of Science Core Collection database, employing keywords closely aligned with neutrosophic theory and its applications, spanning a specified timeframe starting from the year in which the first paper on neutrosophic theory was published, namely, from 2005 until 2022. Our findings underscore sustained and robust scholarly interest in neutrosophic theory, characterized by a considerable high annual growth rate of 43.74% during the specified period. Additionally, our investigation delves into the identification and analysis of pivotal keywords and emerging trends, shedding light on prominent research trajectories within this domain. Furthermore, we elucidate collaborative networks among authors, their academic affiliations, and the global distribution across diverse countries and territories, providing valuable insights into the worldwide proliferation of neutrosophic research and applications. Employing n-gram analysis techniques across titles, keywords, abstracts, and keyword-plus fields unveils a multitude of applications where neutrosophic theory plays a central role. The analysis culminates in a review of globally cited documents and a comprehensive discussion highlighting the significance of neutrosophic theory in contemporary research and problem-solving contexts.