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On the relationship between interdisciplinarity and impact: Distinct effects on academic and broader impact
[A Comparison of Two Approaches for Measuring Interdisciplinary Research Output: The Disciplinary Diversity of Authors vs the Disciplinary Diversity of the Reference List]

Author

Listed:
  • Lin Zhang
  • Beibei Sun
  • Lidan Jiang
  • Ying Huang

Abstract

Addressing many of the world’s contemporary challenges requires a multifaceted and integrated approach and, in this respect, interdisciplinary research (IDR) is increasingly recognized as central to both academic interests and national science policies. In spite of the growing attention given to IDR, the impact of IDR remains under-investigated. In this study, we analyzed the influence of interdisciplinarity on citation impact (particularly, WoS citation) and broader impact (particularly, PloS usage) at the article level. We measured IDR in terms of three different elements of diversity—variety, balance, and disparity—as well as the integrated diversity overall. The results of negative binomial regression analysis with field fixed effects and robust standard errors show the positive effects of interdisciplinarity on both academic and broader impact. From an analysis of trends over time, the results show that higher interdisciplinary publications tend to attract more citations and have higher PLoS usage. Compared to citations, which need a more extended period to accumulate, the advantage of measuring impact with PLoS usage is its immediacy. Also, there are signs that PLoS usage and citations can mutually reinforce each other.

Suggested Citation

  • Lin Zhang & Beibei Sun & Lidan Jiang & Ying Huang, 2021. "On the relationship between interdisciplinarity and impact: Distinct effects on academic and broader impact [A Comparison of Two Approaches for Measuring Interdisciplinary Research Output: The Disc," Research Evaluation, Oxford University Press, vol. 30(3), pages 256-268.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:rseval:v:30:y:2021:i:3:p:256-268.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/reseval/rvab007
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Jingwei Zheng & Ke Zhang & Boya Han & Jiayi Hou, 2023. "Research Interdisciplinarity and Citation Impact: A Network Analysis of Social Networking Sites Research," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(3), pages 21582440231, August.
    2. Jingjing Ren & Fang Wang & Minglu Li, 2023. "Dynamics and characteristics of interdisciplinary research in scientific breakthroughs: case studies of Nobel-winning research in the past 120 years," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(8), pages 4383-4419, August.
    3. Fei Shu & Jesse David Dinneen & Shiji Chen, 2022. "Measuring the disparity among scientific disciplines using Library of Congress Subject Headings," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(6), pages 3613-3628, June.
    4. Xiaojing Cai & Xiaozan Lyu & Ping Zhou, 2023. "The relationship between interdisciplinarity and citation impact—a novel perspective on citation accumulation," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-12, December.
    5. Meijun Liu & Sijie Yang & Yi Bu & Ning Zhang, 2023. "Female early-career scientists have conducted less interdisciplinary research in the past six decades: evidence from doctoral theses," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-16, December.
    6. Bethany K Laursen & Nicole Motzer & Kelly J Anderson, 2022. "Pathways for assessing interdisciplinarity: A systematic review," Research Evaluation, Oxford University Press, vol. 31(3), pages 326-343.
    7. Andrea Bonaccorsi & Nicola Melluso & Francesco Alessandro Massucci, 2022. "Exploring the antecedents of interdisciplinarity at the European Research Council: a topic modeling approach," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(12), pages 6961-6991, December.

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