Historical bibliometric analysis: A case of the journal of the siam society, 1972-1976

ABSTRACT This paper presents results of a study that applies a historical bibliometric treatment on the Journal of the Siam Society in the period from 1972 to 1976, aiming to chart a life story of the Journal in such the timeframe. The research approach taken brings together quantitative and qualitative research methods to trace the historical development of a learned publication devoted to the academic studies of Thailand. The bibliometric methods examine the trend and change in the Journal's bibliographic characteristics which are viewed as the intellectual contours of the Journal. Then, these contours are contextualised and interpreted through historical research methods which primarily engage documentary evidence. The findings of the study show that both bibliometric and historical analyses complement each other, suggesting that the research design and methods are workable. Contributions of the study are outlined.