Rethinking thematic evolution in science mapping:An integrated framework for longitudinal analysis

Abstract

Strategic diagrams and co-word analysis are widely employed to examine the conceptual structure of scientific domains and their development over time. Yet a structural inconsistency characterises dominant longitudinal implementations: themes are detected through relational clustering in weighted networks, whereas their inter-temporal connections are commonly inferred from set-theoretic overlap among keywords or core documents. This study introduces a structurally integrated framework in which lineage reconstruction is embedded within the same weighted relational architecture that underpins cross-sectional detection. The approach models thematic continuity through graded document affiliation and a lineage-strength measure that combines directional coverage with centrality-weighted structural relevance, thereby conceptualising evolution as the reconfiguration of relational structures rather than simple lexical persistence. By aligning thematic detection and temporal modelling within a unified relational paradigm, the framework enhances the methodological coherence and interpretive robustness of longitudinal science mapping.