Picoli S, Mendes RS, Malacarne LC, Lenzi EK "Scaling behavior in the dynamics of citations to scientific journals" EUROPHYSICS LETTERS 75 (4): 673-679 AUG 2006

[Eugene Garfield]

full text available at : 
http://www.edpsciences.org/articles/epl/pdf/2006/16/epl9502.pdf



Title: Scaling behavior in the dynamics of citations to scientific journals
 
Author(s): Picoli S, Mendes RS, Malacarne LC, Lenzi EK 

Source: EUROPHYSICS LETTERS 75 (4): 673-679 AUG 2006 

Document Type: Article 
Language: English 
Cited References: 37      Times Cited: 0       
 
Abstract: 
We analyze a database comprising the impact factor (citations per recent 
items published) of scientific journals for a 13-year period (1992-2004). 
We find that i) the distribution of impact factors follows asymptotic power 
law behavior, ii) the distribution of annual logarithmic growth rates has 
an exponential form, and iii) the width of this distribution decays with 
the impact factor as a power law with exponent beta similar or equal to 
0.22. The results ii) and iii) are surprising similar to those observed in 
the growth dynamics of organizations with complex internal structure 
suggesting the existence of common mechanisms underlying the dynamics of 
these systems. We propose a general model for such systems, an extension of 
the simplest model for firm growth, and compare their predictions with our 
empirical results. 

KeyWords Plus: GROWTH DYNAMICS; SCIENCE; LAW; NETWORKS 

Addresses: Picoli S (reprint author), Univ Estadual Maringa, Dept Fis, Ave 
Colombo 5790, Maringa, Parana BR-87020900 Brazil
Univ Estadual Maringa, Dept Fis, Maringa, Parana BR-87020900 Brazil 

Publisher: EDP SCIENCES S A, 17, AVE DU HOGGAR, PA COURTABOEUF, BP 112, F-
91944 LES ULIS CEDEX A, FRANCE 


IDS Number: 070EN 

ISSN: 0295-5075 


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