  We show here how a simple data mining of bibliographic records can be used to
follow and help understand the evolution of a research domain, at a level that
cannot be captured by reading individual papers in a field of this size. We
illustrate the approach by investigating 43 years of research on ceramic
materials, covered by 253k bibliographic records. The patterns of keywords used
reveal the trends and the evolution of research ideas and priorities within the
field. Simple, interactive tools based on co-word network analysis help us
better appreciate the organization and relationships of ideas or individuals,
and hopefully allow identification of unexplored concepts, connections, or
approaches on a given topic.
