Hunter P. "The Power of Power Laws" The Scientist, 7(8):p.22, April 21, 2003

[Loet Leydesdorff]

Dear Gene and colleagues,

Derek de Solla Price (1965) found 2.5 < n < 3 for scientometric
distributions like citations. One would expect the dimensionality of
textual sedimentation to be one degree of freedom less complex than the
communication systems that are carried by the texts. Thus, one might
expect 3.5 < n < 4 for social (including scientific) communication.

These biologists now claim n = 4, but these systems are "realized". When
the system remains pending (like social order), one would expect n to
fail to reach the value of four, isn't it? Can we test that? Sylvan: Do
your results point in this direction?

With kind regards,


Loet

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ASIS&T Special Interest Group on Metrics
> [mailto:SIGMETRICS at LISTSERV.UTK.EDU] On Behalf Of Eugene Garfield
> Sent: Monday, April 28, 2003 8:38 PM
> To: SIGMETRICS at LISTSERV.UTK.EDU
> Subject: [SIGMETRICS] Hunter P. "The Power of Power Laws" The
> Scientist, 7(8):p.22, April 21, 2003
>
>
> Dear colleagues:
>
> While the primary content of The Scientist is generally not
> of specific interest to scientometricians, this particular
> article will interest many of you.
>
> "The Power of Power Laws" ..A multidisciplinary team finds
> that when it comes to scales, a fourth dimension is
> applicable to all living things By Philip Hunter.  The
> Scientist, 7(8):p. 22, Apr. 21, 2003 url for the article:
http://www.the-scientist.com/yr2003/apr/feature_030421.html

Best wishes. Gene Garfield

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