The article is based on the results of the recently published report An International Comparison of the Quality of Academic Publication Output in the Czech Republic by the IDEA institute at CERGE-EI. Unlike most similar international bibliometric comparisons, ours does not only indicate the overall quantity of research publications noted in the Web of Science database, but also the quality of these publications. This enables us to compare Czech research fields both in terms of overall output and in terms of excellent output. We are also able to show how the international standing of Czech research fields has changed over time, the authors say.

The comparison is based on articles published between 2010 and 2014 which are included in the Web of Science database. According to the analysis, all social sciences have recorded low or extremely low excellent publication output. The Czech Republic shows better results for Natural Sciences, Engineering and Technology categories. There are only few categories of science with excellent publication output: Chemistry, analytical; Chemistry, inorganic & nuclear; Physics, nuclear; Spectroscopy, Crystallography; Material science, coatings & films; Minearology; Instruments & Instrumentation; Material science, characterization and testing. Still, the publication output in terms of quantity in general is above-average compared with other highly developed countries.