Global and local collaborators: A study of scientific collaboration

Abstract

Increased co-authorship in schistosomiasis has been shown to be associated with research funding. The small core of grantees is highly prolific. Furthermore, strong evidence points to the existence of two types of co-authors, namely, the globals who appear to co-author with individuals outside their own group, and the locals who are limited in their formal collaboration. The globals constitute a small group of highly productive scientists, whereas there is a large pool of lower-rank locals. The data supports the theory that scientific collaboration serves as a means to advance research, as well as a mechanism to increase the visibility and authorship of the highly productive.