IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/scient/v126y2021i6d10.1007_s11192-021-03976-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A note on reference publication year spectroscopy with incomplete information

Author

Listed:
  • Matthieu Ballandonne

    (ESSCA School of Management)

  • Igor Cersosimo

    (ESSCA School of Management)

Abstract

Reference publication year spectroscopy (RPYS) is a scientometrics method that consists in the study of the annual distribution of a corpus’ cited references. The method has already been used in many studies to investigate the historical roots of a research field, topic, or journal. While empirical applications are numerous, no study has yet investigated the statistical aspects of the method and especially how to deal with uncertainty or incompleteness in the data. In this methodological note, we focus on practical issues: the choice of the smoothing method for the running median at the beginning and at the end of the selected timespan, and the presence of reference publication years with zero cited references. The study is based on four datasets for influential journals in economics, management and finance, and some results are generalized using simulated data. We conclude that the “constant” smoothing method is preferable for the calculation of the running median and we discuss the implications of the different ways of dealing with years with zero citations, providing practical recommendations to researchers using RPYS.

Suggested Citation

  • Matthieu Ballandonne & Igor Cersosimo, 2021. "A note on reference publication year spectroscopy with incomplete information," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(6), pages 4927-4939, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:126:y:2021:i:6:d:10.1007_s11192-021-03976-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-021-03976-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11192-021-03976-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11192-021-03976-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Aria, Massimo & Cuccurullo, Corrado, 2017. "bibliometrix: An R-tool for comprehensive science mapping analysis," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 959-975.
    2. Mehdi Rhaiem & Lutz Bornmann, 2018. "Reference Publication Year Spectroscopy (RPYS) with publications in the area of academic efficiency studies: what are the historical roots of this research topic?," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(13), pages 1442-1453, March.
    3. Werner Marx & Lutz Bornmann, 2010. "How accurately does Thomas Kuhn’s model of paradigm change describe the transition from the static view of the universe to the big bang theory in cosmology?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 84(2), pages 441-464, August.
    4. Werner Marx & Robin Haunschild & Andreas Thor & Lutz Bornmann, 2017. "Which early works are cited most frequently in climate change research literature? A bibliometric approach based on Reference Publication Year Spectroscopy," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 110(1), pages 335-353, January.
    5. Werner Marx & Lutz Bornmann, 2016. "Change of perspective: bibliometrics from the point of view of cited references—a literature overview on approaches to the evaluation of cited references in bibliometrics," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 109(2), pages 1397-1415, November.
    6. McLevey, John & McIlroy-Young, Reid, 2017. "Introducing metaknowledge: Software for computational research in information science, network analysis, and science of science," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 176-197.
    7. Thor, Andreas & Marx, Werner & Leydesdorff, Loet & Bornmann, Lutz, 2016. "Introducing CitedReferencesExplorer (CRExplorer): A program for reference publication year spectroscopy with cited references standardization," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 10(2), pages 503-515.
    8. Werner Marx, 2011. "Special features of historical papers from the viewpoint of bibliometrics," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 62(3), pages 433-439, March.
    9. Werner Marx & Lutz Bornmann & Andreas Barth & Loet Leydesdorff, 2014. "Detecting the historical roots of research fields by reference publication year spectroscopy (RPYS)," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 65(4), pages 751-764, April.
    10. Bornmann, Lutz & Marx, Werner, 2013. "The proposal of a broadening of perspective in evaluative bibliometrics by complementing the times cited with a cited reference analysis," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 7(1), pages 84-88.
    11. Werner Marx, 2011. "Special features of historical papers from the viewpoint of bibliometrics," Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 62(3), pages 433-439, March.
    12. Franceschini, Fiorenzo & Maisano, Domenico & Mastrogiacomo, Luca, 2014. "Scientific journal publishers and omitted citations in bibliometric databases: Any relationship?," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 8(3), pages 751-765.
    13. Franceschini, Fiorenzo & Maisano, Domenico & Mastrogiacomo, Luca, 2016. "Empirical analysis and classification of database errors in Scopus and Web of Science," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 10(4), pages 933-953.
    14. Lutz Bornmann & Robin Haunschild & Loet Leydesdorff, 2018. "Reference publication year spectroscopy (RPYS) of Eugene Garfield’s publications," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 114(2), pages 439-448, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Mostafa, Mohamed M., 2022. "Five decades of catastrophe theory research: Geographical atlas, knowledge structure and historical roots," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Andreas Thor & Lutz Bornmann & Werner Marx & Rüdiger Mutz, 2018. "Identifying single influential publications in a research field: new analysis opportunities of the CRExplorer," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 116(1), pages 591-608, July.
    2. Werner Marx & Lutz Bornmann, 2016. "Change of perspective: bibliometrics from the point of view of cited references—a literature overview on approaches to the evaluation of cited references in bibliometrics," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 109(2), pages 1397-1415, November.
    3. Lutz Bornmann & Rüdiger Mutz, 2015. "Growth rates of modern science: A bibliometric analysis based on the number of publications and cited references," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 66(11), pages 2215-2222, November.
    4. Arash Najmaei & Zahra Sadeghinejad, 2023. "Green and sustainable business models: historical roots, growth trajectory, conceptual architecture and an agenda for future research—A bibliometric review of green and sustainable business models," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(2), pages 957-999, February.
    5. Werner Marx & Robin Haunschild & Andreas Thor & Lutz Bornmann, 2017. "Which early works are cited most frequently in climate change research literature? A bibliometric approach based on Reference Publication Year Spectroscopy," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 110(1), pages 335-353, January.
    6. McLevey, John & McIlroy-Young, Reid, 2017. "Introducing metaknowledge: Software for computational research in information science, network analysis, and science of science," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 176-197.
    7. Jianhua Hou, 2017. "Exploration into the evolution and historical roots of citation analysis by referenced publication year spectroscopy," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 110(3), pages 1437-1452, March.
    8. Werner Marx & Robin Haunschild & Bernie French & Lutz Bornmann, 2017. "Slow reception and under-citedness in climate change research: A case study of Charles David Keeling, discoverer of the risk of global warming," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 112(2), pages 1079-1092, August.
    9. Xin Li & Qiang Yao & Xuli Tang & Qian Li & Mengjia Wu, 2020. "How to investigate the historical roots and evolution of research fields in China? A case study on iMetrics using RootCite," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 125(2), pages 1253-1274, November.
    10. Liu, Weishu & Hu, Guangyuan & Tang, Li, 2018. "Missing author address information in Web of Science—An explorative study," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 12(3), pages 985-997.
    11. Robin Haunschild & Lutz Bornmann, 2022. "Reference publication year spectroscopy (RPYS) in practice: a software tutorial," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(12), pages 7253-7271, December.
    12. Leydesdorff, Loet & Bornmann, Lutz & Marx, Werner & Milojević, Staša, 2014. "Referenced Publication Years Spectroscopy applied to iMetrics: Scientometrics, Journal of Informetrics, and a relevant subset of JASIST," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 8(1), pages 162-174.
    13. Ransome Epie Bawack & Samuel Fosso Wamba & Kevin Daniel André Carillo & Shahriar Akter, 2022. "Artificial intelligence in E-Commerce: a bibliometric study and literature review," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 32(1), pages 297-338, March.
    14. Anton Gruber & Alexander Tekles & Lutz Bornmann, 2023. "John Mearsheimer’s academic roots: a reference publication year spectroscopy of a political scientist’s oeuvre," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(7), pages 3867-3877, July.
    15. Wiarda, Martijn & van de Kaa, Geerten & Yaghmaei, Emad & Doorn, Neelke, 2021. "A comprehensive appraisal of responsible research and innovation: From roots to leaves," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    16. Thomas Scheidsteger & Robin Haunschild, 2020. "Telling the story of solar energy meteorology into the satellite era by applying (co-citation) reference publication year spectroscopy," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 125(2), pages 1159-1177, November.
    17. Mostafa, Mohamed M., 2022. "Five decades of catastrophe theory research: Geographical atlas, knowledge structure and historical roots," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    18. Robin Haunschild & Werner Marx, 2022. "On Health Effects of Resveratrol in Wine," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-13, March.
    19. Lutz Bornmann & Robin Haunschild & Loet Leydesdorff, 2018. "Reference publication year spectroscopy (RPYS) of Eugene Garfield’s publications," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 114(2), pages 439-448, February.
    20. Hugo Palácios & Helena de Almeida & Maria José Sousa, 2021. "A Bibliometric Analysis of Service Climate as a Sustainable Competitive Advantage in Hospitality," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-27, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:126:y:2021:i:6:d:10.1007_s11192-021-03976-1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.