Comparing the similarity and differences in MeSH terms associated with spine-specific journals using the forest plot: A bibliometric analysis

A common concern in the literature is the comparison of the similarities and differences between research journals, as well as the types of research they publish. At present, there are no clear methodologies that can be applied to a given article of interest. When authors use an effective and efficient method to locate journals in similar fields, they benefit greatly. By using the forest plot and major medical subject headings (MeSH terms) of Spine (Phila Pa 1976) compared to Spine J, this study: displays relatively similar journals to the target journal online and identifies the effect of the similarity odds ratio of Spine (Phila Pa 1976) compared to Spine J. METHODS: From the PubMed library, we downloaded 1000 of the most recent top 20 most similar articles related to Spine (Phila Pa 1976) and then plotted the clusters of related journals using social network analysis (SNA). The forest plot was used to compare the differences in MeSH terms for 2 journals (Spine (Phila Pa 1976) and Spine J) based on odds ratios. The heterogeneity of the data was evaluated using the Q statistic and the I-square (I(2)) index. RESULTS: This study shows that: the journals related to Spine (Phila Pa 1976) can easily be presented on a dashboard via Google Maps; 8 journal clusters were identified using SNA; the 3 most frequently searched MeSH terms are surgery, diagnostic imaging, and methods; and the odds ratios of MeSH terms only show significant differences with the keyword “surgery” between Spine (Phila Pa 1976) and Spine J with homogeneity at I(2) = 17.7% (P = .27). CONCLUSIONS: The SNA and forest plot provide a detailed overview of the inter-journal relationships and the target journal using MeSH terms. Based on the findings of this research, readers are provided with knowledge and concept diagrams that can be used in future submissions to related journals.