Abstract:[Background] Microbiology is embracing a crucial period for development. Master's thesis, as the main output of graduate students, reflects the research trend in this discipline. However, previous bibliometric analysis mainly focused on papers from Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) rather than the theses from master's thesis databases. [Objective] Our aim in this paper is to explore the research approach and hotspots of postgraduate dissertations in the field of microbiology in China. [Methods] We analyzed 237 562 master's theses on microbiology in China Doctoral Dissertations/Master's Theses Full-text Database (CDMD) from 1999 to 2018 with the bibliometrics method. [Results] We found that the total number of microbiology-related theses in China showed an increasing trend from 1999 to 2018, and Zhejiang University, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Nanjing Agricultural University ranked the top three in the number of published theses. According to the network analysis of keywords, research fields of postgraduates in China are diversified in the 10 years. The research hotspots in microbiology, such as environment, animal medicine, and human medicine, are also international research focuses, but basic microbiology is yet to be further emphasized. Some emerging topics such as metagenomics, proteomics and engineering, and medicine should be highlighted among postgraduates. [Conclusion] The result is expected to serve as a reference for topic selection by graduate students and their supervisors, and education and practice of postgraduates on microbiology in China.
