van Raan AFJ, "Statistical properties of Bibliometric indicators: Research group indicator distributions and correlations " JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 57 (3): 408-430 FEB 1 2006

[Eugene Garfield]

E-Mail : AFJ Van Raan : vanraan at cwts.leidenuniv.nl


Title: Statistical properties of Bibliometric indicators: Research group
indicator distributions and correlations

Author(s): van Raan AFJ

Source: JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY 57 (3): 408-430 FEB 1 2006

Document Type: Article    Language: English
Cited References: 31      Times Cited: 0

Abstract:
In this article we present an empirical approach to the study of the
statistical properties of bibliometric indicators on a very relevant but
not simply "available" aggregation level: the research group. We focus on
the distribution functions of a coherent set of indicators that are used
frequently in the analysis of research performance. In this sense, the
coherent set of indicators acts as a measuring instrument. Better insight
into the statistical properties of a measuring instrument is necessary to
enable assessment of the instrument itself. The most basic distribution in
bibliometric analysis is the distribution of citations over publications,
and this distribution is very skewed. Nevertheless, we clearly observe the
working of the central limit theorem and find that at the level of research
groups the distribution functions of the main indicators, particularly the
journal-normalized and the field-normalized indicators, approach normal
distributions. The results of our study underline the importance of the
idea of "group oeuvre," that is, the role of sets of related publications
as a unit of analysis.


Addresses: van Raan AFJ (reprint author), Leiden Univ, Ctr Sci & Technol
Studies, Wassenaarseweg 52,POB 9555, Leiden, NL-2300 RB Netherlands
Leiden Univ, Ctr Sci & Technol Studies, Leiden, NL-2300 RB Netherlands

E-mail Addresses: vanraan at cwts.leidenuniv.nl

Publisher: JOHN WILEY & SONS INC, 111 RIVER ST, HOBOKEN, NJ 07030 USA
Subject Category: COMPUTER SCIENCE, INFORMATION SYSTEMS; INFORMATION
SCIENCE & LIBRARY SCIENCE
IDS Number: 006YA

ISSN: 1532-2882

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