Emerging Topics Research Area Schema

 

The Emerging Topics research area schema in InCites™ enables users to explore and benchmark the latest research trends through a structured, data-driven approach. This schema integrates data from the existing Research Horizon Navigator module, enhancing its capabilities by embedding over 10,000 emerging topics into the full suite of InCites analysis modules.

Emerging topics, updated monthly, provide a dynamic view of nascent and fast-evolving areas of research. This schema is designed for researchers, academic institutions, and policymakers who seek actionable insights into emerging fields and interdisciplinary research developments.

Methodology 

Data Source 

Emerging topics are generated using the last 5 years of data from the Web of Science Core Collection, incorporating: 

  • SCIE (Science Citation Index Expanded) 

  • SSCI (Social Science Citation Index) 

  • AHCI (Arts & Humanities Citation Index) 

  • ESCI (Emerging Sources Citation Index) 

  • CPCI (Conference Proceedings Citation Index) 

This diverse dataset covers a range of publication types, including articles, reviews, and conference proceedings, and ensures comprehensive coverage across scientific, social and humanities disciplines. 

Hierarchical Structure 

The Emerging Topics schema features a two-tiered hierarchical classification: 

  • Micro Level: Over 10,000 emerging topics are identified algorithmically through co-citation analysis and clustered with the Leiden algorithm. These topics highlight interdisciplinary connections in emerging research. The detailed methodology for computing emerging topics, including the clustering techniques and metrics used, can be found in the Research Horizon Navigator documentation. 

  • Macro Level: Emerging topics are grouped into 25 broader Emerging Topic Categories using K-means clustering based on semantic relationships. Each category represents a major research domain, enabling comprehensive trend analysis. 

Update Cycle 

  • Monthly Updates: The schema’s emerging topics are refreshed monthly to incorporate the latest research developments. 

  • Annual Updates: The macro-level categories are updated annually to reflect long-term shifts in research priorities. 

Additional Capabilities 

  • Expandable Macro Categories: 
    The macro category level in InCites includes an option to expand each category, displaying the list of emerging topics belonging to that category. This feature provides the flexibility to explore individual topics while maintaining a high-level overview of broader research areas. 

  • Link to Detailed Emerging Topic Pages: 
    Clicking on the title of an emerging topic in InCites opens a detailed page in Research Horizon Navigator, showing comprehensive information about the topic. This includes core and co-citing papers, citation metrics, the interdisciplinarity index, author keywords, and top contributors. 

 

 

 

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Applications 

  • Trend Analysis: Track fast-evolving research areas to identify future breakthroughs. 

  • Strategic Decision-Making: Understand the shifting landscape of research and allocate resources to the most promising fields, whether for funding or collaboration. 

  • Benchmarking: Compare institutional contributions and assess research impact within emerging fields. 

  • Collaboration Opportunities: Identify potential collaborators and key opinion leaders in new and interdisciplinary research areas. 

  • Cross-Disciplinary Exploration: Discover intersections between disciplines to foster innovation. 

 

Unveiling the research landscape 

The topological map below illustrates how emerging topics intersect, demonstrating their interdisciplinary nature and dynamic evolution. Emerging research includes five important themes that highlight some of the most dynamic areas of growth. 

 

 

1. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning 

AI and Machine Learning are seeing rapid adoption across many fields. From AI-driven healthcare diagnostics and personalized medicine to autonomous systems like robotics and personalized education tools, AI is transforming industries. These developments underscore AI's role as a significant driver of change across sectors. 

2. Well-being and mental health 

Researchers continue to examine COVID-19's effects on mental health, healthcare systems and social dynamics. There is also increased interest in lifestyle interventions, digital health and social support systems to address these challenges, reflecting a shift towards holistic health approaches. 

3. Sustainability and environmental concerns 

Research on sustainability is gaining momentum amid concerns about climate change and resource depletion. Key areas include renewable energy, circular economy practices and sustainable agriculture, all focused on mitigating environmental challenges and improving human well-being. 

4. Social and cultural dynamics 

Research emphasizes the importance of social and cultural dynamics, particularly the impact of digital media on behavior and societal trends. Topics like identity politics, migration and social justice highlight a growing focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion and reflect efforts to tackle complex social challenges. 

5. Biomedical advancements 

Breakthroughs in gene- and cell-based therapies, AI-driven imaging and precision diagnostics are accelerating progress in cancer treatment, vaccine development, and managing COVID-19. Researchers use epigenetics, single-cell profiling and other emerging methods to provide more personalized care ultimately improving prevention, diagnosis and therapy across a range of diseases. 

 

Appendix: list of Emerging Topic Categories (Jan 2025) 

  1. Artificial Intelligence and Technology 

  • Advanced sensing and imaging technologies 

  • AI and virtual technologies 

  • IoT, AI, and autonomous systems 

  • Machine learning and AI applications 

  1. Energy and Materials Science and Engineering 

  • Advanced energy storage materials 

  • Advanced fluid dynamics 

  • Advanced materials engineering 

  • Catalysis and photocatalysis applications 

  • Energy systems optimization 

  1. Environmental Science and Sustainability 

  • Environmental and climate impacts 

  • Geoscience and structural engineering 

  • Machine learning in environmental and engineering applications 

  • Plant and animal stress biology 

  • Sustainable environmental remediation technologies 

  1. Health and Biomedical Sciences 

  • Cancer and immunotherapy 

  • COVID-19 and vaccination studies 

  • Global health and disease trends 

  • Medical treatment and management strategies 

  • Microbiome and health interactions 

  • Molecular mechanisms in health and disease 

  • Nanotechnology in drug delivery 

  1. Social Sciences and Humanities 

  • Education, cognitive science, and technology 

  • Mental health and COVID-19 impacts 

  • Social and political dynamics 

  • Sustainability and digital transformation 

FAQ 

1. Can documents belong to multiple emerging topics? 

Yes, individual documents may be assigned to multiple emerging topics if they are relevant to different areas. However, each emerging topic is assigned to only one macro category. 

2. Is the topological map visualization available in InCites or Research Horizon Navigator? 
No, the topological map visualization is currently not available in either Research Horizon Navigator or InCites. We are considering integrating this feature in future updates. 

3. Where can I find the Interdisciplinarity Index? 
The Interdisciplinarity Index is exclusively available in the Research Horizon Navigator module and is not part of the InCites Emerging Topics schema. 

4. Can I track emerging topics over time? 
Currently, tracking emerging topics over time presents certain challenges due to the dynamic nature of topic updates. 

  • Title Stability: To minimize title changes across monthly updates, we apply a heuristic based on the top-cited article in the emerging topic. While this helps maintain consistent titles, it is not entirely accurate because: 

  • The top-cited article may change over time as citation patterns evolve. 

  • A single top-cited article may appear in multiple different emerging topics, leading to duplicate titles. 

  • Emerging Topic IDs: The ID in the URL of an emerging topic’s detailed page cannot be used to track the topic over time, as these IDs are regenerated with each monthly update. There is no guarantee that the same emerging topic will retain the same ID across updates. 

We are actively exploring improvements to enhance topic tracking over time. 

 

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