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Impact factor distribution revisited

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  • Huang, Ding-wei

Abstract

We explore the consistency of a new type of frequency distribution, where the corresponding rank distribution is Lavalette distribution. Empirical data of journal impact factors can be well described. This distribution is distinct from Poisson distribution and negative binomial distribution, which were suggested by previous study. By a log transformation, we obtain a bell-shaped distribution, which is then compared to Gaussian and catenary curves. Possible mechanisms behind the shape of impact factor distribution are suggested.

Suggested Citation

  • Huang, Ding-wei, 2017. "Impact factor distribution revisited," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 482(C), pages 173-180.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:phsmap:v:482:y:2017:i:c:p:173-180
    DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2017.04.038
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mansilla, R. & Köppen, E. & Cocho, G. & Miramontes, P., 2007. "On the behavior of journal impact factor rank-order distribution," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 1(2), pages 155-160.
    2. Juan Miguel Campanario, 2010. "Distribution of ranks of articles and citations in journals," Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 61(2), pages 419-423, February.
    3. Stephen J. Bensman, 2008. "Distributional differences of the impact factor in the sciences versus the social sciences: An analysis of the probabilistic structure of the 2005 journal citation reports," Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 59(9), pages 1366-1382, July.
    4. Egghe, L., 2009. "Mathematical derivation of the impact factor distribution," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 290-295.
    5. Juan Miguel Campanario, 2010. "Distribution of ranks of articles and citations in journals," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 61(2), pages 419-423, February.
    6. Stephen J. Bensman, 2000. "Probability distributions in library and information science: A historical and practitioner viewpoint," Journal of the American Society for Information Science, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 51(9), pages 816-833.
    7. L. Egghe, 2011. "The impact factor rank-order distribution revisited," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 87(3), pages 683-685, June.
    8. Jerome K. Vanclay, 2012. "Impact factor: outdated artefact or stepping-stone to journal certification?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 92(2), pages 211-238, August.
    9. Waltman, Ludo & van Eck, Nees Jan, 2009. "Some comments on Egghe's derivation of the impact factor distribution," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 363-366.
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    Cited by:

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    3. Yurij L. Katchanov & Yulia V. Markova, 2017. "The “space of physics journals”: topological structure and the Journal Impact Factor," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 113(1), pages 313-333, October.

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