Behrens H "A bibliometric study in crystallography " ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION B-STRUCTURAL SCIENCE 62: 993-1001 Part 6, DEC 2006

[Eugene Garfield]

E-mail Addresses: peter.luksch at fiz-karlsruhe.de 


Title: A bibliometric study in crystallography 

Author(s): Behrens H (Behrens, Heinrich), Luksch P (Luksch, Peter) 

Source: ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION B-STRUCTURAL SCIENCE 62: 993-1001 
Part 6, DEC 2006 

Document Type: Article 
Language: English 
Cited References: 17      Times Cited: 0    
   
Abstract: 
This is an application of the mathematical and statistical techniques of 
bibliometrics to the field of crystallography. This study is, however, 
restricted to inorganic compounds. The data were taken from the Inorganic 
Crystal Structure Database, which is a well defined and evaluated body of 
literature and data published from 1913 to date. The data were loaded in a 
relational database system, which allows a widespread analysis. The 
following results were obtained: The cumulative growth rate of the number 
of experimentally determined crystal structures is best described by a 
third-degree polynomial function. Except for the upper end of the curve, 
Bradford's plot can be described well by the analytical Leimkuhler 
function. The publication process is dominated by a small number of 
periodicals. The probability of the author productivity in terms of 
publications follows an inverse power law of the Lotka form and in terms 
of database entries an inverse power law in the Mandelbrot form. In both 
cases the exponent is about 1.7. For the lower tail of the data an 
exponential correction factor has to be applied. Multiple authorship has 
increased from 1.4 authors per publication to about four within the past 
eight decades. The author distribution itself is represented by a 
lognormal distribution. 


Addresses: Luksch P (reprint author), FIZ Karlsruhe, D-76344 Eggenstein 
Leopoldshafen, Germany
FIZ Karlsruhe, D-76344 Eggenstein Leopoldshafen, Germany

E-mail Addresses: peter.luksch at fiz-karlsruhe.de 

Publisher: BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, 9600 GARSINGTON RD, OXFORD OX4 2DQ, OXON, 
ENGLAND 
Subject Category: Crystallography 
IDS Number: 104WW 
ISSN: 0108-7681 


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