Aksnes, DW. 2006. Citation rates and perceptions of scientific contribution. JASIST. 57 (2): 169-185.

[Eugene Garfield]

Aksnes, DW. 2006. Citation rates and perceptions of scientific contribution. 
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND 
TECHNOLOGY 57 (2): 169-185.

Language: English
Document Type: Article

Abstract: In this study scientists were asked about their own publication 
history and their citation counts. The study shows that the citation counts of 
the publications correspond reasonably well with the authors' own assessments 
of scientific contribution. Generally, citations proved to have the highest 
accuracy in identifying either major or minor contributions. Nevertheless, 
according to these judgments, citations are not a reliable indicator of scientific 
contribution at the level of the individual article. In the construction of relative 
citation indicators, the average citation rate of the subfield appears to be 
slightly more appropriate as a reference standard than the journal citation rate. 
The study confirms that review articles are cited more frequently than other 
publication types. Compared to the significance authors attach to these 
articles they appear to be considerably "overcited." However, there were only 
marginal differences in the citation rates between empirical, methods, and 
theoretical contributions.

Addresses: Norwegian Inst Studies Res & Higher Educ, NIFU, STEP, N-0167 
Oslo, Norway

Reprint Address: Aksnes, DW, Norwegian Inst Studies Res & Higher Educ, NIFU, 
STEP, Wergelandsv 7, N-0167 Oslo, Norway.

E-mail Address: Dag.W.Aksnes at nifustep.no
ISSN: 1532-2882
DOI: 10.1002/asi.20262