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Citation analysis of nanotechnology at the field level: implications of R&D evaluation

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  • Juan D Rogers

Abstract

This article addresses the question of how much time it takes for contributions to the nanotechnology literature to establish themselves in the field by analyzing the dynamics of the citations to several cohorts of its papers and the consequences this has for the use of citations in evaluation of R&D. It focuses on the first ten years of publications (cohorts 1991 to 2000) in the field of nanotechnology and eighteen years (1991–2008) worth of citations in windows of increasing length for each cohort to establish some of the basic features of the dynamics of citations in this emerging field. It offers a characterization of the citation distributions of these cohorts of papers and analyzes the time it takes for information contained in those papers to be absorbed by the field as reflected in citations. With a measure developed for that purpose and graphical representation of several dynamical characteristics it finds that there are significant delays in the absorption of information from papers in each cohort. Many papers have sustained growth of citations for many years, sometimes a decade or more, at all levels of the absolute number of citations, and the rank of papers by number of citations has many changes over long periods of time. This suggests that more refined tools for analysis of field level characteristics of impact should be developed to pick up not only the early signs of a potential opportunity in the short term but also recognize topics with older antecedents on their way to a deep and sustained influence. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.

Suggested Citation

  • Juan D Rogers, 2010. "Citation analysis of nanotechnology at the field level: implications of R&D evaluation," Research Evaluation, Oxford University Press, vol. 19(4), pages 281-290, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:rseval:v:19:y:2010:i:4:p:281-290
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.3152/095820210X12827366906409
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Jian Wang, 2013. "Citation time window choice for research impact evaluation," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 94(3), pages 851-872, March.
    2. Wang, Jian & Hicks, Diana, 2015. "Scientific teams: Self-assembly, fluidness, and interdependence," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 9(1), pages 197-207.
    3. Zhang, Ruizhi & Wang, Jian & Mei, Yajun, 2017. "Search for evergreens in science: A functional data analysis," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 11(3), pages 629-644.
    4. Jan Youtie, 2014. "The use of citation speed to understand the effects of a multi-institutional science center," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 100(3), pages 613-621, September.
    5. Solomon, Gregg E.A. & Youtie, Jan & Carley, Stephen & Porter, Alan L., 2019. "What people learn about how people learn: An analysis of citation behavior and the multidisciplinary flow of knowledge," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(9), pages 1-1.
    6. Diana Hicks & Julia Melkers, 2013. "Bibliometrics as a tool for research evaluation," Chapters, in: Albert N. Link & Nicholas S. Vonortas (ed.), Handbook on the Theory and Practice of Program Evaluation, chapter 11, pages 323-349, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    7. Winnink, J.J. & Tijssen, Robert J.W. & van Raan, A.F.J., 2019. "Searching for new breakthroughs in science: How effective are computerised detection algorithms?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 673-686.
    8. Wang, Guoyan & Hu, Guangyuan & Li, Chuanfeng & Tang, Li, 2018. "Long live the scientists: Tracking the scientific fame of great minds in physics," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 12(4), pages 1089-1098.
    9. Dejian Yu & Libo Sheng & Shunshun Shi, 2023. "A retrospective analysis of Journal of Forecasting: From 1982 to 2019," Journal of Forecasting, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(4), pages 1008-1035, July.
    10. Lee, You-Na & Walsh, John P. & Wang, Jian, 2015. "Creativity in scientific teams: Unpacking novelty and impact," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(3), pages 684-697.

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