Abstract:

Research-Based Learning (RBL), also known as Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) is a pedagogically driven approach, in which learning is done through inquiry and discovery. This methodology involves the use of research activities developing soft skills allowing students to understand and influence the context.

Among the skills that are developed through RBL are creative thinking, complex problems solution, analysis, self-learning, sensibility and perceptive capacity of scientific humanistic and socio-cultural phenomena, academic honesty and responsibility.

Learning to perform research activities is a complex process. Students need to be able to acknowledge the different tools available that are helpful in performing searches, as well as to analyze, systematize and quantify the information that has been acquired in different stages of scientific research.

Bibliometric analysis is a methodology that uses mathematical processes and statistical methods to written sources to study scientific activity. The unit of analysis is the scientific article. This methodology permits to evaluate the impact and performance of scientific publications through bibliometric indicators such as articles, journals, authors, institutions, languages, h-index, citations, and countries within a specific line of research.

Since 2010 the use of bibliometric tools has increased significantly due to the development of novel information technologies that include diverse digital platforms to access the main scientific publications in all disciplines such as the Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar among others. Additionally, high-performance visualization software such as VOSviewer has been used to create bibliometric maps, providing unique ways to present and analyze bibliographic information.

Through this work, RBL and IBL are analyzed and described, introducing a variety of tools available and research strategies. The objective of this study is to identify the main characteristics of bibliometric analysis as a methodology that supports RBL.

Keywords:

Bibliometric analysis, research, inquiry, learning, tools, methodologies.