Question about ISI's SCI five year cumulations

[Eric Ackermann]

Hi,

Apologies for cross-posting.

I am putting together a bibliometric study of the Polywater research
literature, 1962-1974. I need some benchmark values for various measures, such
as citations per paper. My access to WOS only goes back to 1989, so I've been
using the SCI's five year cumulations in print. In the first volume of each
cumulation is a page (usually around p. 17) called "Comparative Statistical
Summary." Herein lies my questions re: "Citations per Authored Items Cited".
1. Are the "authored items cited" the same as the research articles, reviews,
and technical notes used by the SCI? If not, what are they?
2. There is an annual cumulation given for each of the five years, and then one
for the entire five year block. The average values for "authored items cited"
for the five year block are different for the average annual. For example, for
1965-1969, the average for the annual cumulations is 1.65 + 1.65 + 1.66 + 1.67
+1.67 = 8.3/5years = 1.66. The average for the five year block is 2.55. Why the
difference?
3. For the annual cumulations, are these just total citation counts for that
year, or is there some sort of citation window (fixed or variable) involved?

That's all for now! Many thanks for any help or insight you can give.

Regards,

Eric
--
Eric G. Ackermann
Reference/Instruction Librarian
McConnell Library
Radford University
PO Box 6881
Radford, VA  24142
Email: egackerma at radford.edu
Phone: 540-831-5688
http://lib.radford.edu/