Defining embargo periods by discipline?

[Loet Leydesdorff]

Dear David, 

1. for the disciplinary delineation, I would first look at the NSF-list with
13 broad fields (as used for the S&E Indicators). The advantage is that the
list is seriously updated each two years by our colleague Ken Hamilton and
that there is investment in its quality. There are many other
classifications. 

2. Can you provide an example of "a proper embargo period"?

Best, 
Loet


Loet Leydesdorff 
Professor, University of Amsterdam
Amsterdam School of Communications Research (ASCoR), 
Kloveniersburgwal 48, 1012 CX Amsterdam. 
Tel.: +31-20- 525 6598; fax: +31-842239111
loet at leydesdorff.net ; http://www.leydesdorff.net/ ;
http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ych9gNYAAAAJ&hl=en 

-----Original Message-----
From: ASIS&T Special Interest Group on Metrics
[mailto:SIGMETRICS at LISTSERV.UTK.EDU] On Behalf Of David Wojick
Sent: Friday, March 01, 2013 5:44 PM
To: SIGMETRICS at LISTSERV.UTK.EDU
Subject: [SIGMETRICS] Defining embargo periods by discipline?


Dear Group,

I have begun to work on the design issues for a new federal green OA system
as raised by the recent U.S. OSTP Memo. See
http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2013/02/25/confusions-in-the-ostp-oa-poli
cy-memo-three-monsters-and-a-gorilla/.

One of the most interesting issues is defining different embargo periods for
different disciplines. There is a clear scientometrics component to this.
Therefore I am asking if anyone knows of any research that speaks to this
issue? My first impression is that the citation pattern over time is the
only analytical framework that has been explored but I may be wrong. In any
case we seem to be breaking new ground with this policy issue.

There are actually two distinct issues. First how do we define a discipline
for regulatory purposes? Second how do we determine the proper embargo
period for each discipline? The latter is perhaps the harder question. Your
thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

My best regards to all,

David