STEM Information Literacy: A Bibliometric Mapping (1974-2020)

This exploratory paper investigates with bibliometric methods the area of research and practice constituted by information literacy in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Amongst the findings are the most central publication channels, authors, and topics. Academic librarianship and library and information science appear as intellectual bases for this field, although a degree of specialisation (particularly towards the health sciences and engineering) also emerges. The findings are discussed in light of Richard Whitley's sociology of science and Annemaree Lloyd's sociocultural approach to information literacy.