AbstractBibliometric techniques have been used in a wide variety of program evaluations including tracing research advances in cancer and the development of the oral contraceptive. Recently bibliometrics have been used in assessing the efficiency of funding mechanisms and the productivity of the National Institute of Health's extramural and intramural programs.There is a rapidly growing acceptance of bibliometric techniques in measuring research performance, because they correlate with more conventional measures. The addition of citation data to publication performance refines and adds to this correlation. A few minor limitations exist but overall, when applied with care and adequate knowledge of the underlying research fields, bibliometrics can greatly enhance the evaluation process.