Application of a metric study of the academic production of the Graduate Program in Geography of the Federal University of Uberlândia: first reflections

Abstract

This work aimed to provide a metric study on the academic production originating from thesis and dissertations defended in PPGeo Geography Graduate Course at UFU between 2000 and 2018 that are available in UFU Institutional Repository. A metric study was carried out applying Bibliometrics and Scientometrics criteria, with bibliometric indicators based on the authors' profile regarding gender; in academic production by level and per year; advisor; and spatial clipping addressed obtained from the title and keywords defined by the authors. The research verified the registration of 298 dissertations and 156 theses, until November 2018. There is a concentration of 33 teachers in the mentoring of students from the course. Northern Minas Gerais and the Triângulo Mineiro were the most studied regions, as well as the cities of Uberlândia, Montes Claros, Uberaba, Ituiutaba and Araguari. The numbers indicate that the female gender is majority in the authorship of the works. The need to organize the scientific knowledge produced by the area based on a Geography Thesaurus that would allow the standardization of the keywords was realized, as well as the need to increase the information retrieval. It was not possible to indicate the research lines in the works, this would be a relevant information that would allow more extensive analyzes, such as the coherence of the works regarding the related line and the identification of the approaches adopted. Future studies must deepen aspects not detected in this stage of the research.