On relations in science: the case of the scientific journal editorial board

Abstract

This article analyses the connections between members of the editorial board of a scientific journal which are formed based on their reviews of scientific articles. It is shown that the connections can be represented as a graph. The research uses the data for six years of article reviewing in the scientific and technical Journal of "Almaz — Antey" Air and Space Defence Corporation.The methods of analysis are combinatorics and graph theory, as well as the relevant graph characteristics: adjacency matrix, incidence matrix, reachability matrix, graph fullness and connectivity, nearest neighbours graph and graph spanning tree.It is shown that cooperation of the reviewers of the Journal helps plot a connected graph with links between any two vertices, i.e. between any reviewers.The graph is analysed and the methods of its application to calculate the Journal’s scientometric indicators are demonstrated. As the research reveals, a journal that publishes articles in numerous disciplines forms connections between all reviewers and this parameter can be indicative of interchangeability within the scientific fields or, conversely, of a joint work in this scientific field when reviewing manuscripts. Based on the research results, it is possible to search for new reviewers in the areas where competencies are underdeveloped. And by the areas where competencies are strong, we can determine the core competence of the reviewers of a scientific journal, reflecting the main focus of the evaluated scientific research.The work resulted in the formulated scientometric indicators of the journal, which can be used to search for and involve new reviewers or to represent data on a strong team of reviewers on a specific topic, as well as on a new scientific field just emerging for research.