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On the impossibility of a perfect counting method to allocate the credits of multi-authored publications

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  • António Osório

    (Universitat Rovira i Virgili)

Abstract

The problem on how to distribute the publication credits among ordered coauthors has been extensively discussed in the literature. However, there is no consensus about what is the most adequate procedure. This paper studies the properties of the existing counting methods and shows an impossibility result regarding the existence of a general counting method able to satisfy no advantageous merging and no advantageous splitting simultaneously—two properties that we consider fundamental. Our results suggest that the generalized variations of the geometric and the harmonic counting methods are the most flexible and robust in theoretical terms.

Suggested Citation

  • António Osório, 2018. "On the impossibility of a perfect counting method to allocate the credits of multi-authored publications," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 116(3), pages 2161-2173, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:116:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1007_s11192-018-2815-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-018-2815-6
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    4. Osório, António (António Miguel), 2019. "The value and credits of n-authors publications," Working Papers 2072/376026, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Department of Economics.
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    6. Chaocheng He & Jiang Wu & Qingpeng Zhang, 2020. "Research leadership flow determinants and the role of proximity in research collaborations," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 71(11), pages 1341-1356, November.
    7. Péter Vinkler, 2023. "Impact of the number and rank of coauthors on h-index and π-index. The part-impact method," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(4), pages 2349-2369, April.
    8. Liu, Xuan Zhen & Fang, Hui, 2023. "A geometric counting method adaptive to the author number," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 17(2).
    9. Sandro Tarkhan-Mouravi, 2020. "Traditional indicators inflate some countries’ scientific impact over 10 times," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 123(1), pages 337-356, April.
    10. Xie, Qing & Zhang, Xinyuan & Song, Min, 2021. "A network embedding-based scholar assessment indicator considering four facets: Research topic, author credit allocation, field-normalized journal impact, and published time," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 15(4).
    11. Crespo, Nuno & Simoes, Nadia, 2019. "Publication Performance and Number of Authors – Evidence for World Top Economists," MPRA Paper 92581, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Counting methods; Properties; Ordered coauthors; Publication credits; Bibliometrics;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C65 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Miscellaneous Mathematical Tools
    • D04 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Microeconomic Policy: Formulation; Implementation; Evaluation

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