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Comparing scientific and technological impact of biomedical research

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  • Ke, Qing

Abstract

Traditionally, the number of citations that a scholarly paper receives from other papers is used as the proxy of its scientific impact. Yet citations can come from domains outside the scientific community, and one such example is through patented technologies—paper can be cited by patents, achieving technological impact. While the scientific impact of papers has been extensively studied, the technological aspect remains less known in the literature. Here we aim to fill this gap by presenting a comparative study on how 919 thousand biomedical papers are cited by U.S. patents and by other papers over time. We observe a positive correlation between citations from patents and from papers, but there is little overlap between the two domains in either the most cited papers, or papers with the most delayed recognition. We also find that the two types of citations exhibit distinct temporal variations, with patent citations lagging behind paper citations for a median of 6 years for the majority of papers. Our work contributes to the understanding of the technological impact of papers.

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  • Ke, Qing, 2018. "Comparing scientific and technological impact of biomedical research," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 12(3), pages 706-717.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:infome:v:12:y:2018:i:3:p:706-717
    DOI: 10.1016/j.joi.2018.06.010
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    2. Yang, Jinqing & Bu, Yi & Lu, Wei & Huang, Yong & Hu, Jiming & Huang, Shengzhi & Zhang, Li, 2022. "Identifying keyword sleeping beauties: A perspective on the knowledge diffusion process," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 16(1).
    3. Lai, Kuei-Kuei & Bhatt, Priyanka C. & Kumar, Vimal & Chen, Hsueh-Chen & Chang, Yu-Hsin & Su, Fang-Pei, 2021. "Identifying the impact of patent family on the patent trajectory: A case of thin film solar cells technological trajectories," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 15(2).
    4. Chen, Xi & Mao, Jin & Ma, Yaxue & Li, Gang, 2024. "The knowledge linkage between science and technology influences corporate technological innovation: Evidence from scientific publications and patents," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    5. Ke, Qing, 2020. "Technological impact of biomedical research: The role of basicness and novelty," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(7).
    6. Ke, Qing, 2020. "An analysis of the evolution of science-technology linkage in biomedicine," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 14(4).
    7. Gazni, Ali, 2020. "The growing number of patent citations to scientific papers: Changes in the world, nations, and fields," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    8. Ziyou Teng & Xuezhong Zhu, 2024. "Measuring the global and domestic technological impact of Chinese scientific output: a patent-to-paper citation analysis of science-technology linkage," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 129(9), pages 5181-5210, September.
    9. Du, Jian & Li, Peixin & Haunschild, Robin & Sun, Yinan & Tang, Xiaoli, 2020. "Paper-patent citation linkages as early signs for predicting delayed recognized knowledge: Macro and micro evidence," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 14(2).
    10. Qing Ke, 2023. "Interdisciplinary research and technological impact: evidence from biomedicine," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(4), pages 2035-2077, April.
    11. Shin, Hyunjin & Woo, Hyun Goo & Sohn, Kyung-Ah & Lee, Sungjoo, 2023. "Comparing research trends with patenting activities in the biomedical sector: The case of dementia," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).

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