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Mean citation rate per article in mathematics journals: Differences from the scientific model

Author

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  • Stephen J. Bensman
  • Lawrence J. Smolinsky
  • Alexander I. Pudovkin

Abstract

This paper analyzes the applicability of the article mean citation rate measures in the Science Citation Index Journal Citation Reports (SCI JCR) to the five JCR mathematical subject categories. These measures are the traditional 2‐year impact factor as well as the recently added 5‐year impact factor and 5‐year article influence score. Utilizing the 2008 SCI JCR, the paper compares the probability distributions of the measures in the mathematical categories to the probability distribution of a scientific model of impact factor distribution. The scientific model distribution is highly skewed, conforming to the negative binomial type, with much of the variance due to the important role of review articles in science. In contrast, the three article mean citation rate measures' distributions in the mathematical categories conformed to either the binomial or Poisson, indicating a high degree of randomness. Seeking reasons for this, the paper analyzes the bibliometric structure of Mathematics, finding it a disjointed discipline of isolated subfields with a weak central core of journals, reduced review function, and long cited half‐life placing most citations beyond the measures' time limits. These combine to reduce the measures' variance to one commensurate with random error. However, the measures were found capable of identifying important journals. Using data from surveys of the Louisiana State University (LSU) faculty, the paper finds a higher level of consensus among mathematicians and others on which are the important mathematics journals than the measures indicate, positing that much of the apparent randomness may be due to the measures' inapplicability to mathematical disciplines. Moreover, tests of the stability of impact factor ranks across a 5‐year time span suggested that the proper model for Mathematics is the negative binomial.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen J. Bensman & Lawrence J. Smolinsky & Alexander I. Pudovkin, 2010. "Mean citation rate per article in mathematics journals: Differences from the scientific model," Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 61(7), pages 1440-1463, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jamist:v:61:y:2010:i:7:p:1440-1463
    DOI: 10.1002/asi.21332
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Kun-Yang Chuang & Ming-Huang Wang & Yuh-Shan Ho, 2011. "High-impact papers presented in the subject category of water resources in the essential science indicators database of the institute for scientific information," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 87(3), pages 551-562, June.
    2. Yifan Qian & Wenge Rong & Nan Jiang & Jie Tang & Zhang Xiong, 2017. "Citation regression analysis of computer science publications in different ranking categories and subfields," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 110(3), pages 1351-1374, March.
    3. Marcelo Mendoza, 2021. "Differences in Citation Patterns across Areas, Article Types and Age Groups of Researchers," Publications, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-23, October.
    4. Jerome K. Vanclay, 2012. "Impact factor: outdated artefact or stepping-stone to journal certification?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 92(2), pages 211-238, August.
    5. Lindahl, Jonas, 2018. "Predicting research excellence at the individual level: The importance of publication rate, top journal publications, and top 10% publications in the case of early career mathematicians," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 518-533.
    6. Saarela, Mirka & Kärkkäinen, Tommi, 2020. "Can we automate expert-based journal rankings? Analysis of the Finnish publication indicator," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 14(2).
    7. Martin Szomszor & David A. Pendlebury & Jonathan Adams, 2020. "How much is too much? The difference between research influence and self-citation excess," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 123(2), pages 1119-1147, May.
    8. Lawrence Smolinsky & Daniel S. Sage & Aaron J. Lercher & Aaron Cao, 2021. "Citations versus expert opinions: citation analysis of featured reviews of the American Mathematical Society," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(5), pages 3853-3870, May.
    9. Stephen J. Bensman, 2012. "The impact factor: its place in Garfield’s thought, in science evaluation, and in library collection management," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 92(2), pages 263-275, August.
    10. Stephen J. Bensman, 2011. "Anne-Wil Harzing: The publish or perish book: Your guide to effective and responsible citation analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 88(1), pages 339-342, July.
    11. Lawrence Smolinsky & Aaron Lercher, 2012. "Citation rates in mathematics: a study of variation by subdiscipline," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 91(3), pages 911-924, June.

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