LIBRARY HERALD Year : 2021, Volume : 59, Issue : 1 First page : ( 103) Last page : ( 118) Print ISSN : 0024-2292. Online ISSN : 0976-2469. Article DOI : 10.5958/0976-2469.2021.00006.3
Singh Gurpreet1, Singh Jagtar2 1Research Scholar-Department of Library and Information Science, Punjabi University, Patiala & Librarian-Goswami Ganesh Dutta Sanatan Dharma College, Chandigarh 2Former Professor and Head-Department of Library and Information Science, Punjabi University, Patiala Abstract The purpose of the study is to assess the research trends in economics to derive meaningful inferences to support information needs of economists, policymakers, librarians, and other stakeholders. The study uses for data the theses in Economics accepted for the degree of Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph D..) by three Universities of Punjab and Chandigarh during the period 2011 to 2015. The collected data was recorded in.csv format for analysis. The data have been evaluated to identify the core journals, subject trends in research, based on keywords, and Bradford's Scattering Law to assess the distribution of publications in the research articles referred to in theses. The data visualization of keywords and journals have been done using VOS viewer network visualization software. The study reveals that a major part of the research work done at the Ph D.. level in the subject of economics in three universities of Punjab and Chandigarh is oriented towards agricultural economics and allied subjects, such as economical, social, cultural and other related aspects which have dependencies on agriculture in northern India. The study is an attempt to ascertain research in economics and key areas of economics in northern India. Keywords Economics, Scientometrics, Subject trends, The Law of scattering, Distribution of articles.