Digital methods for technology assessment
Chapter 38: Digital methods for technology assessment With the rise of digital media and the seemingly unlimited possibilities offered by Digital Methods (DM), TA is being confronted with the [...]
A research infrastructure for the social sciences & humanities
At Cortext, our goal is to empower researchers by promoting advanced qualitative-quantitative mixed methods. Our primary focus is on studies about the dynamics of science, technology and innovation, and about the roles of knowledge and expertise in societies.
We understand the move towards digital humanities and computational methods not as addressing a technological gap for the social sciences, but rather as entailing entirely new assemblages between its disciplines and those of modern statistics and computer sciences. And we work to tackle ever more complex research problems and deal with the profusion of new and diverse sources of information without losing sight of the situatedness and reflexivity required of studies of human societies.
Cortext is hosted by the LISIS research unit at Gustave Eiffel University, and was launched by French institutes IFRIS and INRAE, receiving their continued support.
Cortext Manager
Cortext Manager is our current main attraction, a publicly available web application providing data analysis methods curated and developed by our team of researchers and engineers.
Upload a textual corpus in order to analyse its discourse, names, categories, citations, places, dates etc, with methods for science/controversy/issue mapping, distant reading, document clustering, geo-spatial and network visualizations, and more.
You can jump straight to Cortext Manager and create an account, but we suggest taking a look at the Documentation and Tutorials as you start your journey.
Latest journal articles employing our instruments
Truchet-Aznar, Stéphanie; Aubert, Francis; Aznar, Olivier; Davi, Béatrice
How Does Regional Science Address Environmental Issues? A Bibliometric Analysis of Two Decades of Publications Journal Article
In: Sage, 2024, ISSN: 0160-0176.
@article{Truchet-Aznar2024,
title = {How Does Regional Science Address Environmental Issues? A Bibliometric Analysis of Two Decades of Publications},
author = {Stéphanie Truchet-Aznar and Francis Aubert and Olivier Aznar and Béatrice Davi},
url = {https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/01600176241267206},
doi = {/10.1177/01600176241267206},
issn = {0160-0176},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-07-23},
journal = {Sage},
publisher = {SAGE Publications},
abstract = {Using bibliometric methods, this paper is aimed at providing an overview of Regional Science publications that address environmental issues. The analysis covers a corpus of 1145 articles that refer to the environment in their title, abstract or keywords and published in 18 journals between 1999 and 2020. Although these publications account for only 6 percent of the articles published in these journals over that period, their number gradually increased. To gain a clearer picture of the environmental issues addressed, we characterise them according to whether an integrative or topical approach is adopted and by their spatial dimensions. This analytical framework is first applied by searching for specific terms in their title, keywords and abstract. The results show that both approaches are equally effective; further, these articles address intraregional or interregional environmental issues more than global environmental issues. Second, we conduct a keyword co-occurrence analysis revealing four coherent thematic article groups treating environmental issues from the perspectives of amenities and migration, governance and policy, innovation and clusters, and land use and urban sprawl. More detailed analyses of each group allowed us to refine our understanding of how environmental issues were addressed. Finally, a cross-cutting view of the four thematic groups suggests that Regional Science approaches environmental issues through spatial disparities and inequalities, spatial interactions and interdependencies, and the spatial dimension of public action. The research perspectives in each of these areas are highlighted.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Using bibliometric methods, this paper is aimed at providing an overview of Regional Science publications that address environmental issues. The analysis covers a corpus of 1145 articles that refer to the environment in their title, abstract or keywords and published in 18 journals between 1999 and 2020. Although these publications account for only 6 percent of the articles published in these journals over that period, their number gradually increased. To gain a clearer picture of the environmental issues addressed, we characterise them according to whether an integrative or topical approach is adopted and by their spatial dimensions. This analytical framework is first applied by searching for specific terms in their title, keywords and abstract. The results show that both approaches are equally effective; further, these articles address intraregional or interregional environmental issues more than global environmental issues. Second, we conduct a keyword co-occurrence analysis revealing four coherent thematic article groups treating environmental issues from the perspectives of amenities and migration, governance and policy, innovation and clusters, and land use and urban sprawl. More detailed analyses of each group allowed us to refine our understanding of how environmental issues were addressed. Finally, a cross-cutting view of the four thematic groups suggests that Regional Science approaches environmental issues through spatial disparities and inequalities, spatial interactions and interdependencies, and the spatial dimension of public action. The research perspectives in each of these areas are highlighted.
Mesmoudi, Salma; Dégeilh, Fanny; Cancino, Waldo; Rodic, Mathieu; Peschanski, Denis; Eustache, Francis
Transdisciplinary method for exploration and visualization of neuroimaging papers and databases: Application to PTSD Journal Article
In: 2024, (Annales Médico-psychologiques, revue psychiatrique).
@article{Mesmoudi2024,
title = {Transdisciplinary method for exploration and visualization of neuroimaging papers and databases: Application to PTSD},
author = {Salma Mesmoudi and Fanny Dégeilh and Waldo Cancino and Mathieu Rodic and Denis Peschanski and Francis Eustache},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003448724002142},
doi = {/10.1016/j.amp.2024.06.003},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-07-14},
urldate = {2024-07-14},
abstract = {A major improvement in MRI techniques has led to an exponential increase in data acquisition and, consequently, in the number of published articles reporting brain impairments and cognitive deficits underlying a disorder. Meta-analysis offers a means of synthesizing the available literature, testing existing models in the light of scientific advances, and revealing unexpected information. However, article selection, author specialization and top-down hypotheses can mask some results and introduce bias into interpretations. LinkRdata is a platform for automated, data-driven, meta-analytical methods suitable for processing large numbers of MRI articles, that can reduce selection and interpretation biases, thereby allowing scientists to review neurocognitive correlates of disorders in relation to their own corpus of articles. To validate our method, we applied it to fMRI studies of post-traumatic stress disorder. Results confirmed LinkRdata's power to uncover findings hidden by the top-down hypothesis approach.
Méthode transdisciplinaire d’exploration et de visualisation d’articles et de bases de données de neuroimagerie : application au stress post-traumatique
Une amélioration majeure des techniques d’IRM a conduit à une augmentation exponentielle de l’acquisition de données et, par conséquent, du nombre d’articles publiés rapportant des altérations cérébrales et des déficits cognitifs liés à un trouble. La méta-analyse offre un moyen de synthétiser la littérature disponible, de tester les modèles existants à la lumière des avancées scientifiques, et de révéler des informations inattendues. Cependant, la sélection des articles, la spécialisation des auteurs et les hypothèses descendantes peuvent masquer certains résultats et introduire des biais dans les interprétations. LinkRdata est une plateforme de méthodes méta-analytiques automatisées et basées sur les données, adaptée au traitement d’un grand nombre d’articles d’IRM, qui peut réduire les biais de sélection et d’interprétation, permettant ainsi aux chercheurs de passer en revue les corrélats neurocognitifs des troubles en relation avec leur propre corpus d’articles. Pour valider notre méthode, nous l’avons appliquée à des études d’IRMf sur le trouble de stress post-traumatique. Les résultats ont confirmé la capacité de LinkRdata à mettre en évidence des résultats cachés par l’approche hypothétique descendante.},
note = {Annales Médico-psychologiques, revue psychiatrique},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
A major improvement in MRI techniques has led to an exponential increase in data acquisition and, consequently, in the number of published articles reporting brain impairments and cognitive deficits underlying a disorder. Meta-analysis offers a means of synthesizing the available literature, testing existing models in the light of scientific advances, and revealing unexpected information. However, article selection, author specialization and top-down hypotheses can mask some results and introduce bias into interpretations. LinkRdata is a platform for automated, data-driven, meta-analytical methods suitable for processing large numbers of MRI articles, that can reduce selection and interpretation biases, thereby allowing scientists to review neurocognitive correlates of disorders in relation to their own corpus of articles. To validate our method, we applied it to fMRI studies of post-traumatic stress disorder. Results confirmed LinkRdata's power to uncover findings hidden by the top-down hypothesis approach.
Méthode transdisciplinaire d’exploration et de visualisation d’articles et de bases de données de neuroimagerie : application au stress post-traumatique
Une amélioration majeure des techniques d’IRM a conduit à une augmentation exponentielle de l’acquisition de données et, par conséquent, du nombre d’articles publiés rapportant des altérations cérébrales et des déficits cognitifs liés à un trouble. La méta-analyse offre un moyen de synthétiser la littérature disponible, de tester les modèles existants à la lumière des avancées scientifiques, et de révéler des informations inattendues. Cependant, la sélection des articles, la spécialisation des auteurs et les hypothèses descendantes peuvent masquer certains résultats et introduire des biais dans les interprétations. LinkRdata est une plateforme de méthodes méta-analytiques automatisées et basées sur les données, adaptée au traitement d’un grand nombre d’articles d’IRM, qui peut réduire les biais de sélection et d’interprétation, permettant ainsi aux chercheurs de passer en revue les corrélats neurocognitifs des troubles en relation avec leur propre corpus d’articles. Pour valider notre méthode, nous l’avons appliquée à des études d’IRMf sur le trouble de stress post-traumatique. Les résultats ont confirmé la capacité de LinkRdata à mettre en évidence des résultats cachés par l’approche hypothétique descendante.
Méthode transdisciplinaire d’exploration et de visualisation d’articles et de bases de données de neuroimagerie : application au stress post-traumatique
Une amélioration majeure des techniques d’IRM a conduit à une augmentation exponentielle de l’acquisition de données et, par conséquent, du nombre d’articles publiés rapportant des altérations cérébrales et des déficits cognitifs liés à un trouble. La méta-analyse offre un moyen de synthétiser la littérature disponible, de tester les modèles existants à la lumière des avancées scientifiques, et de révéler des informations inattendues. Cependant, la sélection des articles, la spécialisation des auteurs et les hypothèses descendantes peuvent masquer certains résultats et introduire des biais dans les interprétations. LinkRdata est une plateforme de méthodes méta-analytiques automatisées et basées sur les données, adaptée au traitement d’un grand nombre d’articles d’IRM, qui peut réduire les biais de sélection et d’interprétation, permettant ainsi aux chercheurs de passer en revue les corrélats neurocognitifs des troubles en relation avec leur propre corpus d’articles. Pour valider notre méthode, nous l’avons appliquée à des études d’IRMf sur le trouble de stress post-traumatique. Les résultats ont confirmé la capacité de LinkRdata à mettre en évidence des résultats cachés par l’approche hypothétique descendante.
Li, Bo; Xu, Zeshui; Wang, Xinxin
Computational intelligence and its dynamic development: statistical exploration, comprehensive evaluation and prospect expansion Journal Article
In: Soft Computing, vol. 28, pp. 9371–9386, 2024.
@article{Li2024,
title = {Computational intelligence and its dynamic development: statistical exploration, comprehensive evaluation and prospect expansion},
author = {Bo Li and Zeshui Xu and Xinxin Wang},
url = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00500-024-09789-7},
doi = {/10.1007/s00500-024-09789-7},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-07-05},
journal = {Soft Computing},
volume = {28},
pages = {9371–9386},
abstract = {Computational intelligence (CI) has become one of the most useful and successful tools for dealing with uncertainties and complex problems in many fields, such as neural networks, genetic algorithms, and swarm intelligence, artificial intelligence, risk management, financial monitoring, etc. With the development of CI, abundant publications have arisen related to many research directions and hotspots. Based on the technical support from bibliometrics and the corresponding approach as well as the content analysis, this study conducts a science mapping analysis and a coherent knowledge picture of the research field in CI. The research contributes to clear future development trends and provides more ideas for scholars in this field. First, this paper focuses on the fundamental characteristics of CI publications, including annual numbers, term co-occurrence, and hot research directions, as the preliminary exploration of this field. Then, according to the widely used core database, i.e., Web of Science (WoS), and the technologies of software, VOS viewer, and CiteSpace, the productive institutions, authors, and journals are explored. Next, the corresponding internal characteristics of the CI research are analyzed, including the citation features of countries/regions, institutions, journals and authors. Furthermore, to analyze the development trend of research hotspots, the keywords of all CI publications are studied: (a) classifying them into three phases in chronological order aimed; (b) implementing the burst detection algorithm to intuitively reflect the scientific research in the field of CI. Finally, this paper provides a relatively throughout perspective for the CI articles and reviews and discloses the future development trend, which will help the scholars interested in this area conduct deep research. We conclude this bibliometric overview with the limitations and recommendations for future research in the field of CI.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Computational intelligence (CI) has become one of the most useful and successful tools for dealing with uncertainties and complex problems in many fields, such as neural networks, genetic algorithms, and swarm intelligence, artificial intelligence, risk management, financial monitoring, etc. With the development of CI, abundant publications have arisen related to many research directions and hotspots. Based on the technical support from bibliometrics and the corresponding approach as well as the content analysis, this study conducts a science mapping analysis and a coherent knowledge picture of the research field in CI. The research contributes to clear future development trends and provides more ideas for scholars in this field. First, this paper focuses on the fundamental characteristics of CI publications, including annual numbers, term co-occurrence, and hot research directions, as the preliminary exploration of this field. Then, according to the widely used core database, i.e., Web of Science (WoS), and the technologies of software, VOS viewer, and CiteSpace, the productive institutions, authors, and journals are explored. Next, the corresponding internal characteristics of the CI research are analyzed, including the citation features of countries/regions, institutions, journals and authors. Furthermore, to analyze the development trend of research hotspots, the keywords of all CI publications are studied: (a) classifying them into three phases in chronological order aimed; (b) implementing the burst detection algorithm to intuitively reflect the scientific research in the field of CI. Finally, this paper provides a relatively throughout perspective for the CI articles and reviews and discloses the future development trend, which will help the scholars interested in this area conduct deep research. We conclude this bibliometric overview with the limitations and recommendations for future research in the field of CI.
Barats, Christine; Biscarrat, Laetitia; Chanial, Camille
Dire l’inceste sur Twitter : caractéristiques discursives et dynamiques de circulation de #MeTooInceste Journal Article
In: Questions de communication, vol. 45, 2024, ISSN: 2259-8901.
@article{Barats2024,
title = {Dire l’inceste sur Twitter : caractéristiques discursives et dynamiques de circulation de #MeTooInceste},
author = {Christine Barats and Laetitia Biscarrat and Camille Chanial},
url = {https://journals.openedition.org/questionsdecommunication/34785},
doi = {/10.4000/11wx1},
issn = {2259-8901},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-06-30},
journal = {Questions de communication},
volume = {45},
abstract = {Dans le prolongement de #MeToo, en janvier 2021, le hashtag #MeTooInceste a contribué à réactualiser le problème public de l’inceste en France. Afin de prêter attention aux caractéristiques de ces prises de parole, différents matériaux ont été recueillis (corpus de tweets et entretiens). Les différents types de données ont permis de combiner et d’articuler des analyses quantitatives et qualitatives et de les contextualiser, dans une dynamique de méthodes mixtes. Les caractéristiques sémio-discursives de ces prises de parole ont été mises au jour, en particulier leurs caractéristiques lexicales et morphosyntaxiques. La diversité des prises de parole montre ainsi la centralité du témoignage et éclaire les ressorts de sa circulation, en l’occurrence le rôle de certains comptes qui contribuent à la dynamique de circulation du hashtag et à son déploiement.
In the wake of #MeToo, the January 2021 hashtag #MeTooInceste helped to update the public issue of incest in France. We collected various types of material (a corpus of tweets and interviews) in order to examine the characteristics of these expressions. We have contextualized, analyzed and discussed these data thanks to a mixed method relying on both quantitative and qualitative tools. We have uncovered the semiodiscursive characteristics of these utterances, in particular their lexical and morphosyntactic features. The diversity of the responses shows the centrality of the testimony and sheds light on the reasons for its circulation, in this case the role of certain Twitter accounts that contribute to the circulation of the hashtag and its deployment.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Dans le prolongement de #MeToo, en janvier 2021, le hashtag #MeTooInceste a contribué à réactualiser le problème public de l’inceste en France. Afin de prêter attention aux caractéristiques de ces prises de parole, différents matériaux ont été recueillis (corpus de tweets et entretiens). Les différents types de données ont permis de combiner et d’articuler des analyses quantitatives et qualitatives et de les contextualiser, dans une dynamique de méthodes mixtes. Les caractéristiques sémio-discursives de ces prises de parole ont été mises au jour, en particulier leurs caractéristiques lexicales et morphosyntaxiques. La diversité des prises de parole montre ainsi la centralité du témoignage et éclaire les ressorts de sa circulation, en l’occurrence le rôle de certains comptes qui contribuent à la dynamique de circulation du hashtag et à son déploiement.
In the wake of #MeToo, the January 2021 hashtag #MeTooInceste helped to update the public issue of incest in France. We collected various types of material (a corpus of tweets and interviews) in order to examine the characteristics of these expressions. We have contextualized, analyzed and discussed these data thanks to a mixed method relying on both quantitative and qualitative tools. We have uncovered the semiodiscursive characteristics of these utterances, in particular their lexical and morphosyntactic features. The diversity of the responses shows the centrality of the testimony and sheds light on the reasons for its circulation, in this case the role of certain Twitter accounts that contribute to the circulation of the hashtag and its deployment.
In the wake of #MeToo, the January 2021 hashtag #MeTooInceste helped to update the public issue of incest in France. We collected various types of material (a corpus of tweets and interviews) in order to examine the characteristics of these expressions. We have contextualized, analyzed and discussed these data thanks to a mixed method relying on both quantitative and qualitative tools. We have uncovered the semiodiscursive characteristics of these utterances, in particular their lexical and morphosyntactic features. The diversity of the responses shows the centrality of the testimony and sheds light on the reasons for its circulation, in this case the role of certain Twitter accounts that contribute to the circulation of the hashtag and its deployment.
News
Workshop at EASST4S 2024 in Amsterdam
Every four years, the major Science and Technology Studies academic societies from Europe and North America, EASST and 4S, gather for a joint meeting. That happened this year, where EASST-4S 2024 [...]
Presenting data collection methods at the OpenAlex user meeting
Last week, Ale Abdo and Joenio Costa presented at the first ever OpenAlex User Conference a short talk entitled “Analysing OpenAlex data with Cortext”, highlighting the current and [...]
Cortext workshop at EACH-USP and presentation at IME-USP
On May 2024, Ale Abdo was at the University of São Paulo invited by two departments to talk about different aspects of Cortext. On the 22nd, a workshop organized with professor Gisele Craveiro [...]
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