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Impact measures: What are they?

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  • Leo Egghe

    (Hasselt University)

Abstract

A mathematical, axiomatic definition for the hitherto vague notion of “impact measure” is proposed. For this four conditions are defined on a given set of (rank-frequency) functions (of which the aim is to measure impact). The most typical condition explains how an impact measure should behave on the most productive sources appearing in this function (i.e. in the left side of this rank-frequency function). An overview of “classical” impact measures is provided and it is proved (in most but not in all cases) that they satisfy these conditions for impact measures. This approach can be compared with (but is different from) the approach in econometrics where one defines what concentration is for a (rank-frequency) function. In this way I embed the important notion of impact into the important Lorenz theory.

Suggested Citation

  • Leo Egghe, 2022. "Impact measures: What are they?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(1), pages 385-406, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:127:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1007_s11192-021-04053-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-021-04053-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Egghe, Leo, 2021. "A theory of pointwise defined impact measures," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 15(3).
    2. Egghe, Leo & Rousseau, Ronald, 2019. "Solution by step functions of a minimum problem in L2[0,T], using generalized h- and g-indices," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 13(3), pages 785-792.
    3. Stephen P. Harter & Thomas E. Nisonger, 1997. "ISI's impact factor as misnomer: A proposed new measure to assess journal impact," Journal of the American Society for Information Science, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 48(12), pages 1146-1148, December.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Egghe, Leo & Rousseau, Ronald, 2022. "Rank-frequency data and impact in a continuous model: Introducing impact bundles," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 16(3).
    2. Egghe, Leo & Rousseau, Ronald, 2023. "Global informetric impact: A description and definition using bundles," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 17(1).
    3. Egghe, Leo, 2024. "Mathematical informetrics: Hirsch-type equations and bundles," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 18(1).

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