Spatial bibliometrics and scientometrics have traditionally focused on examining both country and regional levels; however, in recent years, numerous spatial analyses on the city level have been carried out. While city-level scientometric analyses have gained popularity among policymakers and statistical/economic research organizations, researchers in the field of bibliometrics are divided regarding whether it is possible to observe the spatial unit “city” through bibliometric and scientometric tools. The purpose of this paper is to reveal the most significant challenges ahead of spatial scientometrics focusing on the city level by examining relevant scientometric studies.,This analysis involves the most significant spatial scientometric studies focusing on the city level and carefully examines how they collect bibliometric and/or scientometric data, what methodologies they employ to process bibliometric data and most importantly, how they approach the spatial unit “city”.,After systematically scrutinizing relevant studies in the field, three major problems have been identified: there is no standardized method of how cities should be defined and how metropolitan areas should be delineated; there is no standardized method of how bibliometric and scientometric data on the city level should be collected and processed; and it is not clearly defined how cities can profit from the results of bibliometric and scientometric analysis focusing on them.,This is the first study that compiles a “database” of scientometric studies focusing on the city level. The paper not only reveals major challenges ahead of city level spatial analysis but recommends some possible solution as well.

中文翻译：

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以城市为中心的空间科学计量学面临的挑战

传统上，空间文献计量学和科学计量学着重于研究国家和地区水平。但是，近年来，在城市一级进行了许多空间分析。虽然城市级的科学计量分析在决策者和统计/经济研究组织中越来越受欢迎，但对于是否有可能通过文献计量和科学计量工具观测空间单位“城市”，书目计量领域的研究人员存在分歧。本文的目的是通过研究相关的科学计量学研究，揭示在关注城市水平的空间科学计量学之前最重大的挑战，该分析涉及以城市为重点的最重要的空间科学计量学研究，并仔细检查了他们如何收集文献计量学和/或科学计量学数据，他们采用何种方法来处理文献计量学数据，最重要的是，他们如何处理空间单位“城市”。在系统地审查了该领域的相关研究之后，已经确定了三个主要问题：没有关于如何定义城市以及如何划定都市圈的标准化方法；没有标准化的方法来收集和处理城市一级的文献计量和科学计量数据；尚未明确定义城市如何从针对城市的文献计量和科学计量分析结果中获利。这是第一个汇编以城市为重点的科学计量研究“数据库”的研究。本文不仅揭示了城市层面空间分析之前的主要挑战，而且还提出了一些可能的解决方案。