IMU Critique of Citation Analysis

[Stephen J Bensman]

In re the recent flap caused by the International Mathematical Union
critique of citation analysis, I checked the distribution of mathematics
journals by impact factor in the 2007 SCI JCR.  It was as I suspected.
The range of impact factors was only from 0.108 to
2.739--extraordinarily low and tight--and the top journals on the impact
factor had no review articles.  This is suggestive of an extremely
random citation pattern with no development of consensual paradigms.
Therefore, math acts like a humanities in terms of its literature use,
and citation analysis is probably not applicable to this discipline.  If
citation analysis is used, it has to be backed by other measures.

 

 

Stephen J. Bensman

LSU Libraries

Louisiana State University

Baton Rouge, LA   70803

USA

notsjb at lsu.edu

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