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University · Abilene · United States

Abilene Christian University

In research, Abilene Christian University stands highest in Social Sciences (#4,537 of 10,521 worldwide) and Social Sciences (#3,442 of 6,365 worldwide), 2022–2025. Relative to its size it is most specialised in Arts and Humanities — Arts and Humanities is 5.9× its share of world research.

acu.eduROR OpenAlex
World rank, 2022–2025
#14,394
of 28,054 · #11,238 all time
Rank in United States
#2,012
of 4,192
Research works
1.5k
▼ 4% vs 2013–17
Citations
23k
15.4 per fractional work
Top-10% rate
16.3%
record average 16.5%
Open access
30%
world 28%

What is Abilene Christian University known for in research?

The fields where it stands highest, 2022–2025, ranked among every institution above the floor in each field.

FieldWorld rankWhere that sitsTop-10% rateWorksAll time
Social SciencesDomain #4,537 of 10,521 13.7%128 #2361
Social SciencesField #3,442 of 6,365 16.6%64 #2310

Each strip is that field’s whole ranked pool, with the notch where Abilene Christian University sits in it, in the colour of the band that rank falls in. The track under the rate is the rate itself: it carries no world mark, because the world rate differs by field (from about 6% to 21% in this record).

What does Abilene Christian University specialise in?

Where its research is concentrated relative to its size: Arts and Humanities takes 5.9× the share of its output that it takes of world research.

  1. Arts and HumanitiesField · 32.4 works5.9×
← less than its size predicts1×more →

Location quotient, a volume reading rather than an impact one. It surfaces small, lopsided specialities.

Field profile

Location quotient across every field it publishes in: outside the ring is more than an institution of this size would be expected to publish, inside it is less.

Agricultural and Biological Sciences: 0.29× its world share, 3 worksAgricultural and Bio…Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology: 0.49× its world share, 5 worksBiochemistry, Geneti…Immunology and Microbiology: 0.29× its world share, 1 worksImmunology and Micro…Neuroscience: 0.80× its world share, 2 worksNeurosciencePharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics: 0.10× its world share, 0 worksPharmacology, Toxico…Chemical Engineering: 0.03× its world share, 0 worksChemical EngineeringChemistry: 0.57× its world share, 2 worksChemistryComputer Science: 0.87× its world share, 13 worksComputer ScienceEarth and Planetary Sciences: 0.49× its world share, 2 worksEarth and Planetary …Engineering: 0.20× its world share, 6 worksEngineeringEnvironmental Science: 0.44× its world share, 4 worksEnvironmental ScienceMaterials Science: 0.19× its world share, 1 worksMaterials ScienceMathematics: 1.13× its world share, 2 worksMathematicsPhysics and Astronomy: 0.65× its world share, 3 worksPhysics and AstronomyHealth Professions: 1.20× its world share, 6 worksHealth ProfessionsMedicine: 0.33× its world share, 12 worksMedicineNursing: 1.01× its world share, 1 worksNursingVeterinary: 0.64× its world share, 0 worksVeterinaryArts and Humanities: 5.89× its world share, 32 worksArts and HumanitiesBusiness, Management and Accounting: 1.18× its world share, 7 worksBusiness, Management…Decision Sciences: 0.67× its world share, 1 worksDecision SciencesEconomics, Econometrics and Finance: 1.04× its world share, 4 worksEconomics, Econometr…Psychology: 3.21× its world share, 19 worksPsychologySocial Sciences: 2.67× its world share, 64 worksSocial Sciences1×world share
more than its size predictsabout as predictedless

Rings at 0.5×, 1× and 2×. Widest outward: Arts and Humanities, 5.9×. Every wedge is a field page.

Who are the top researchers at Abilene Christian University?

Ranked on the composite score, James Prather, James Westfall Thompson and Richard Beck lead among researchers whose main affiliation is Abilene Christian University.

  1. 1 James Prather United States · #43,022 worldwide 212 citations · 39 works
  2. 2 James Westfall Thompson United States · #56,268 worldwide 98 citations · 99 works
  3. 3 Richard Beck United States · #162,793 worldwide 91 citations · 28 works
  4. 4 Everett Ferguson United States · #212,126 worldwide 34 citations · 55 works
  5. 5 L. Isenhower United States · #223,818 worldwide 253 citations · 19 works
  6. 6 Timothy C. Coburn United States · #251,460 worldwide 205 citations · 18 works
  7. 7 John T. Willis United States · #281,237 worldwide 11 citations · 34 works
  8. 8 D. Isenhower United States · #323,028 worldwide 209 citations · 42 works
  9. 9 Monty L. Lynn United States · #381,418 worldwide 108 citations · 15 works
  10. 10 Richard T. Hughes United States · #548,693 worldwide 10 citations · 18 works
All ranked researchers at Abilene Christian University

Which keywords describe research at Abilene Christian University?

By fractional works in 2022–2025, weighted toward what it does more of than the world: Theology, Religion, Biblical Monotheism, Jewish Society, Student Engagement, Mental Health, Job Satisfaction and African Christianity.

▲ more of its work than of the world’s◆ about the world’s share▼ less than the world’s

Size is fractional works in 2022–2025 in the topics tagged with each word; colour is the word's share of this institution's work against its share of the world's. The 40 words are chosen for being large and distinctive. Each links to the topic it comes from most.

All 40 words, with their numbers
  1. Theology11▲ 62×2 topics
  2. Mental Health10▲ 3.6×18 topics
  3. Religion10▲ 11×13 topics
  4. Biblical Monotheism10▲ 198×1 topic
  5. Jewish Society10▲ 198×1 topic
  6. Globalization7▲ 1.86×18 topics
  7. Student Engagement7▲ 9.2×8 topics
  8. Job Satisfaction6▲ 7.6×6 topics
  9. Education6▲ 1.83×16 topics
  10. Social Media6▲ 2.1×13 topics
  11. Gender6▲ 5.4×10 topics
  12. Social Support5▲ 4.8×6 topics
  13. Online Learning5▲ 3.1×5 topics
  14. African Christianity5▲ 115×2 topics
  15. Diversity5▲ 15×4 topics
  16. Learning Analytics4▲ 19×2 topics
  17. Ethics4▲ 4.7×10 topics
  18. Well-being4▲ 5.7×7 topics
  19. Feminism4▲ 7.5×9 topics
  20. Global Christianity4▲ 140×1 topic
  21. Higher Education4▲ 3.7×9 topics
  22. Leadership4▲ 4.2×6 topics
  23. Short-Term Missions4▲ 140×1 topic
  24. Civil Society4▲ 18×3 topics
  25. Gender Differences4▲ 5.2×5 topics
  26. Nationalism4▲ 4.2×4 topics
  27. Development4▲ 5.4×2 topics
  28. NGOs4▲ 19×2 topics
  29. Resilience4▲ 3.9×7 topics
  30. Spirituality3▲ 18×3 topics
  31. Community Development3▲ 9.4×3 topics
  32. Faith-Based Organizations3▲ 51×1 topic
  33. Social Services3▲ 36×1 topic
  34. Secularism3▲ 15×4 topics
  35. Career Development3▲ 13×4 topics
  36. Church History3▲ 34×3 topics
  37. Human Resource Management3▲ 9.5×4 topics
  38. Reflective Practice3▲ 8.0×5 topics
  39. Academic Performance3▲ 17×3 topics
  40. Organizational Behavior3▲ 8.9×2 topics

Which research topics does Abilene Christian University publish most on?

By volume in 2022–2025: Biblical Studies and Interpretation, Christian Theology and Mission, Religion, Society, and Development and Higher Education Research Studies.

Biblical Studies and Int…10Biblical Studies and Interpretation: 10 fractional worksChristian Theology and M…4Christian Theology and Mission: 4 fractional worksReligion, Society, and D…3Religion, Society, and Development: 3 fractional worksHigher Education Research Studies: 2 fractional worksTeaching and Learning Programming: 2 fractional worksOnline and Blended Learning: 2 fractional worksOnline Learning and Analytics: 2 fractional worksSports Analytics and Performance: 2 fractional worksJob Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior: 2 fractional worksWorkplace Violence and Bullying: 2 fractional works
Religious studiesSociology and Political ScienceEducationComputer Science Applications2 others

Area is fractional works; colour is the subfield each topic belongs to.

  1. 1 Biblical Studies and Interpretation Religious studies 10 works
  2. 2 Christian Theology and Mission Religious studies 4 works
  3. 3 Religion, Society, and Development Sociology and Political Science 3 works
  4. 4 Higher Education Research Studies Education 2 works
  5. 5 Teaching and Learning Programming Computer Science Applications 2 works
  6. 6 Online and Blended Learning Education 2 works
  7. 7 Online Learning and Analytics Computer Science Applications 2 works
  8. 8 Sports Analytics and Performance Economics and Econometrics 2 works
  9. 9 Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management 2 works
  10. 10 Workplace Violence and Bullying Sociology and Political Science 2 works

How open and international is its research?

Against the world’s own shares — the tick on each track. Both are shares of its output, so they sit on one scale and can be read against each other as well as against the world.

openly available30.2%not open69.8%

World: 28% of research is openly available.

with international co-authors6.0%domestic only94.0%

World: 19% is written across borders.

How has Abilene Christian University's research output changed?

Output in 2018–2022 was 4% lower than in 2013–2017.

1990200020102020
grewheldshrank

The same series as a ribbon — one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.

Other research institutions in Abilene

All research institutions in Abilene

Research measures only: rankings here say nothing about teaching, admissions or student experience. Comparable institutions and collaboration partners are in the interactive view on the map.