Web citation issues

[Loet Leydesdorff]

Dear Isidro, Bernie, Peter; dear colleagues,

It seems to me that in addition to looking at the similiraties and
dissimilarities between web-based indicators and citations as science
indicators, we can also look at the different meanings of these indicators.
Patent citations, for example, are very different from science citations in
function. The citation windows between patent and scientific literature are
asymmetrical because two different systems of communication are operating.

Whereas patents relate to inventions, science can be assumed to relate to
scientific novelty and its codification. Web-based indicators may enable us
to extend in the domain of science-based innovations because the users can
also be traced back. In addition to the USPTO other government agencies
(e.g., the FDA) and their role in the innovation process (production and
diffusion of novelty) can be made visible.

Andrea Scharnhorst (Netherl. Institute of Scientific Information/ Royal
Academy) and I recently wrote a report for the German Ministry of Education
and Research (BMBF) entitled "Measuring the Knowledge Base: A Program of
Innovation Studies". A copy is available from my webpage at
http://www.leydesdorff.net/bmbf02/indicators.pdf . We try to elaborate on
the complexity that is generated by extending the interactions of science
and technology into the domain of innovations.

With kind regards,


Loet



******************************************************
Loet Leydesdorff
Science & Technology Dynamics, University of Amsterdam
Amsterdam School of Communications Research (ASCoR)
Kloveniersburgwal 48, 1012 CX  Amsterdam

Tel: +31-20-525 6598; Fax: +31-20-525 3681
http://www.leydesdorff.net/
http://www.upublish.com/books/leydesdorff.htm