# Citation-based clustering of publications using CitNetExplorer and VOSviewer

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1702.03411 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1702.03411/

## Key facts

- Cited by 4 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 11 Feb 2017.

## Built on by (most cited first, 4 of 4)

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- [AI-Driven Automation Can Become the Foundation of Next-Era Science of Science Research](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.12039/) (2025)
- [Artificial intelligence technologies to support research assessment: A review](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2212.06574/) (2022)
- [Similarity-based fuzzy clustering scientific articles: potentials and challenges from mathematical and computational perspectives](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2506.04045/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Clustering scientific publications in an important problem in bibliometric research. We demonstrate how two software tools, CitNetExplorer and VOSviewer, can be used to cluster publications and to analyze the resulting clustering solutions. CitNetExplorer is used to cluster a large set of publications in the field of astronomy and astrophysics. The publications are clustered based on direct citation relations. CitNetExplorer and VOSviewer are used together to analyze the resulting clustering solutions. Both tools use visualizations to support the analysis of the clustering solutions, with CitNetExplorer focusing on the analysis at the level of individual publications and VOSviewer focusing on the analysis at an aggregate level. The demonstration provided in this paper shows how a clustering of publications can be created and analyzed using freely available software tools. Using the approach presented in this paper, bibliometricians are able to carry out sophisticated cluster analyses without the need to have a deep knowledge of clustering techniques and without requiring advanced computer skills.