This article presents a systematic review of the literature on science mapping, aiming to demonstrate the use of science mapping techniques and to identify major research activities, milestones, and transitions in the field. The review is guided by a theoretical framework of scientific specialty evolution, a generic search strategy, and the construction and visualization of co-citation networks. The findings highlight four major stages in the evolution of science mapping: conceptualization, tool construction, application, and codification. The predictive analysis of citation trajectories reveals potentially transformative contributions. The study also explores the connections between major specialties and the suitability of different types of scientists for each stage of specialization. The practical implications of science mapping are discussed, emphasizing its role in bibliometric mapping, knowledge domain visualization, and scientific literature visualization. The originality of the review lies in its innovative approach of incorporating evolutionary stages into visual analytic studies, providing a systematic methodology for understanding the evolution of scientific fields.This article presents a systematic review of the literature on science mapping, aiming to demonstrate the use of science mapping techniques and to identify major research activities, milestones, and transitions in the field. The review is guided by a theoretical framework of scientific specialty evolution, a generic search strategy, and the construction and visualization of co-citation networks. The findings highlight four major stages in the evolution of science mapping: conceptualization, tool construction, application, and codification. The predictive analysis of citation trajectories reveals potentially transformative contributions. The study also explores the connections between major specialties and the suitability of different types of scientists for each stage of specialization. The practical implications of science mapping are discussed, emphasizing its role in bibliometric mapping, knowledge domain visualization, and scientific literature visualization. The originality of the review lies in its innovative approach of incorporating evolutionary stages into visual analytic studies, providing a systematic methodology for understanding the evolution of scientific fields.