Assessment of the registration of bibliographical data in the ESS Bibliography database

NSD – the Norwegian Centre for Research Data – is data archive and data provider for the European Social Survey and maintains the ESS Bibliography (ESSB) . Developed 10 years ago, the ESSB contains information about publications based on ESS – be it analysis of ESS data, ESS methodological research or ESS documentation. The ESSB is thus a valuable source for demonstrating the broader impact of ESS. Data for the ESSB is registered at NSD in Norway, partially using input from University of Ljubljana in Slovenia. This report analyses the current procedures of registering data to the ESSB, including alternative methods and sources, as well as an assessment of the current presentation of ESSB bibliographical data, including possible improvement and adaptions to other similar bibliographical systems.
Specifically, this report assesses four issues:
1. The current procedure for authorization, collection and harvesting of bibliographical data, and possible alternative methods and sources for this,
2. The current presentation of ESS bibliographical data and proposed improvements,
3. Possibilities for bibliometric analyses,
4. The collaboration between NSD and University of Ljubljana and possible improvements.
The report is written from the perspective that there may be resources available to invest in improving the ESSB and its functionality.