This study analyzes coauthorship patterns in the social sciences and humanities (SSH) for the period 2000 to 2010. The basis for the analysis is the Flemish Academic Bibliographic Database for the Social Sciences and Humanities (VABB-SHW), a comprehensive bibliographic database of peer-reviewed publications in the SSH by researchers affiliated with Flemish universities. Combining data on journal articles and book chapters, our findings indicate that collaborative publishing in the SSH is increasing, though considerable differences between disciplines remain. Conversely, we did observe a sharp decline in single-author publishing. We further demonstrate that coauthored SSH articles in journals indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) generally have a higher (and growing) number of coauthors than do either those in non-WoS journals or book chapters. This illustrates the need to include non-WoS data and book chapters when studying coauthorship in the SSH.

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This study uses cluster analysis as a tool for mapping diversity of publication patterns in the social sciences and humanities (SSH). By algorithmic clustering of 1828 senior authors affiliated with 16 disciplines at five universities in Flanders, Belgium, based on the similarity of their publication patterns during 2000-2011, we distinguish two broad publication styles, both of which are present within each discipline. We conclude that diversity in SSH publication patterns cuts across disciplinary boundaries. Cluster analysis shows promise for application in research evaluation for the SSH.

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The Publishers Association of Flanders, Belgium, has created a label for peer-reviewed books: the Guaranteed Peer Reviewed Content (GPRC) label (www.gprc.be/en). We introduce the label and the logic behind it. A label for peer-reviewed books encourages transparency in academic book publishing. It is especially relevant for the social sciences and humanities and in the context of performance-based funding of university research.