Characteristics of the knowledge graph of scientific and technological innovation in Gansu Province

The knowledge graph based on research papers can accurately identify and present the latest developments in scientific and technological (S&T) innovation and is of great significance for supporting strategic decision-making relating to S&T innovation in undeveloped areas. Based on the international research papers produced in Gansu Province during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016–2020), five metrics, including the number and characteristics of papers, co-authors, main publications and their fields, major supporting institutions, and main research areas, are established herein. The results indicate that: (i) the total of 29,951 papers were published, which is about 2.89 times that in 2010–2015; (ii) Gansu Province collaborated with 149 countries/regions globally; (iii) the top 5 journals in terms of the number of papers were Medicine, Scientific Reports, RSC Advances, Science of the Total Environment, and Physical Reviews D; (iv) the funding sources were mainly from the national level; and (5) the top 5 research areas were chemistry, engineering, physics, material science, environmental science, and ecology, which accounted for 64.7% of all papers. Finally, the present study puts forward some recommendations for the decision-making process in the strategic layout of S&T innovation in Gansu Province.