How does the academia refer to open research information data sources? A review study based on OpenAlex and Microsoft Academic series

Abstract

In the context of the thriving open science movement, open research information data sources (ORIDS) have gained increasing attentions within the academic community. The recent emergence of ORIDS, such as OpenAlex, has further accelerated their adoption by researchers. However, the extent to which ORIDS are referred to in scientifc research, the specifc challenges the research aim to address, and the key stakeholders involved remain unclear. In this study, we thoroughly review the existing relevant literature and distinguish their diferent ways of referring to ORIDS. We perform thematic and geographical analyses to outline the current research landscape of ORIDS in academia. Furthermore, we discuss the role of various stakeholders in advancing the development and utilization of ORIDS, and provide recommendations informed by an analysis of the challenges that these stakeholders encounter.