The use of forest plot to identify article similarity and differences in characteristics between journals using medical subject headings terms: A protocol for bibliometric study

BACKGROUND: Comparison of similarity and difference in research types among journals are concerned in literature. However, to date, none display the methodology seen in selecting similar journals related to the target journal, as similar articles did to a given article. Authors need 1 effective method not only to find similar journals for their studies but also to know the difference in methods. This study (1) shows the similar journals for the target journal online displayed, and (2) identifies the effect of similarity odds ratio compared to the counterparts using the forest plots in Meta-analysis and the major medical subject headings (MeSH terms). METHODS: We downloaded 1000 recent top 20 most similar articles related to the Respiratory Care journal from the PubMed library, plotted the clusters of related journals using social network analysis (SNA), and compared the MeSH terms in differences in an odds ratio unit using the forest plot relevant to Respiratory Care and the most similar journals. Q statistic and I-square (I(2)) index were used to evaluate the difference in the proportion of events. RESULTS: This study found that (1) the journals related to Respiratory Care are easily presented on Google Maps; (2) 10 journal clusters were identified using SNA; (3) the top 3 MeSH terms are methods, therapy, and physiopathology, and (4) the odds ratios of MeSH terms between journals associated with the Respiratory Care showing different from Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmori Dis and similar to Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes within heterogeneity with I(2) = 70.5% (P < 0.001) and 0% (P = 0.803), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: SNA and forest plots provide deep insight into the relationships between journals in MeSH terms. The results of this research can provide readers with a concept diagram that can be used for future submissions to a given journal.