IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/scient/v81y2009i3d10.1007_s11192-008-2229-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Should we use the mean citations per paper to summarise a journal’s impact or to rank journals in the same field?

Author

Listed:
  • Michael C. Calver

    (Murdoch University)

  • J. Stuart Bradley

    (Murdoch University)

Abstract

The mean citations per paper is used increasingly as a simple metric for indicating the impact of a journal or comparing journal rankings. While convenient, we suggest that it has limitations given the highly skewed distributions of citations per paper in a wide range of journals.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael C. Calver & J. Stuart Bradley, 2009. "Should we use the mean citations per paper to summarise a journal’s impact or to rank journals in the same field?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 81(3), pages 611-615, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:81:y:2009:i:3:d:10.1007_s11192-008-2229-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-008-2229-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11192-008-2229-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11192-008-2229-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Huang Yi & Xiaolan Ao & Yuh-Shan Ho, 2008. "Use of citation per publication as an indicator to evaluate pentachlorophenol research," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 75(1), pages 67-80, April.
    2. Zhi Li & Yuh-Shan Ho, 2008. "Use of citation per publication as an indicator to evaluate contingent valuation research," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 75(1), pages 97-110, April.
    3. B. S. Kademani & Vijai Kumar & Ganesh Surwase & Anil Sagar & Lalit Mohan & Anil Kumar & C. R. Gaderao, 2007. "Research and citation impact of publications by the Chemistry Division at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 71(1), pages 25-57, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Walters, William H., 2017. "Do subjective journal ratings represent whole journals or typical articles? Unweighted or weighted citation impact?," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 11(3), pages 730-744.
    2. Waltman, Ludo, 2016. "A review of the literature on citation impact indicators," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 10(2), pages 365-391.
    3. Boris Forthmann & Mark Leveling & Yixiao Dong & Denis Dumas, 2020. "Investigating the quantity–quality relationship in scientific creativity: an empirical examination of expected residual variance and the tilted funnel hypothesis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 124(3), pages 2497-2518, September.
    4. Lior Rokach, 2012. "Applying the Publication Power Approach to Artificial Intelligence Journals," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 63(6), pages 1270-1277, June.
    5. Michael Calver & Grant Wardell-Johnson & Stuart Bradley & Ross Taplin, 2010. "What makes a journal international? A case study using conservation biology journals," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 85(2), pages 387-400, November.
    6. Zeki Simsek & Ciaran Heavey & Justin J. P. Jansen, 2013. "Journal Impact as a Diffusion Process: A Conceptualization and the Case of the Journal of Management Studies," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(8), pages 1374-1407, December.
    7. Vîiu, Gabriel-Alexandru, 2017. "Disaggregated research evaluation through median-based characteristic scores and scales: a comparison with the mean-based approach," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 11(3), pages 748-765.
    8. Zhihui Zhang & Ying Cheng & Nian Cai Liu, 2015. "Improving the normalization effect of mean-based method from the perspective of optimization: optimization-based linear methods and their performance," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 102(1), pages 587-607, January.
    9. Serenko, Alexander & Dohan, Michael, 2011. "Comparing the expert survey and citation impact journal ranking methods: Example from the field of Artificial Intelligence," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 5(4), pages 629-648.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Maribel Vega-Arce & Gonzalo Salas & Gastón Núñez-Ulloa & Cristián Pinto-Cortez & Ivelisse Torres Fernandez & Yuh-Shan Ho, 2019. "Research performance and trends in child sexual abuse research: a Science Citation Index Expanded-based analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 121(3), pages 1505-1525, December.
    2. Yu-Wei Chang & Mu-Hsuan Huang & Chiao-Wen Lin, 2015. "Evolution of research subjects in library and information science based on keyword, bibliographical coupling, and co-citation analyses," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 105(3), pages 2071-2087, December.
    3. Hui-Zhen Fu & Yuh-Shan Ho, 2013. "Comparison of independent research of China’s top universities using bibliometric indicators," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 96(1), pages 259-276, July.
    4. Jonathan M. Levitt & Mike Thelwall, 2016. "Long term productivity and collaboration in information science," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 108(3), pages 1103-1117, September.
    5. Yuh-Shan Ho, 2013. "The top-cited research works in the Science Citation Index Expanded," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 94(3), pages 1297-1312, March.
    6. Jinshui Sun & Jinren Ni & Yuh-Shan Ho, 2011. "Scientometric analysis of coastal eutrophication research during the period of 1993 to 2008," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 353-366, April.
    7. Jonathan M. Levitt & Mike Thelwall, 2010. "Does the higher citation of collaborative research differ from region to region? A case study of Economics," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 85(1), pages 171-183, October.
    8. Xiaoyun Sui & Yongxia Chen & Zhi Lu & Yifeng Chen, 2015. "A bibliometric analysis of research papers related to the Mekong River," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 105(1), pages 419-434, October.
    9. Rodrigues, Stefane Dias & Garcia, Vinicius Jacques, 2023. "Transactive energy in microgrid communities: A systematic review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    10. Nadeem Shafique Butt & Ahmad Azam Malik & Muhammad Qaiser Shahbaz, 2021. "Bibliometric Analysis of Statistics Journals Indexed in Web of Science Under Emerging Source Citation Index," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(1), pages 21582440209, January.
    11. Mohammed Muneerali Thottoli & Md. Aminul Islam & Farid Ahammad Sobhani & Shafiqur Rahman & Md. Sharif Hassan, 2022. "Auditing and Sustainability Accounting: A Global Examination Using the Scopus Database," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-14, December.
    12. Jonathan M. Levitt, 2015. "What is the optimal number of researchers for social science research?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 102(1), pages 213-225, January.
    13. Hossein Gholizadeh & Hadi Salehi & Mohamed Embi & Mahmoud Danaee & Seyed Motahar & Nader Ebrahim & Farid Tanha & Noor Abu Osman, 2014. "Relationship among Economic Growth, Internet Usage and Publication Productivity: Comparison among ASEAN and World’s Best Countries," Modern Applied Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 8(2), pages 160-160, April.
    14. Anastassios Pouris & Yuh-Shan Ho, 2014. "Research emphasis and collaboration in Africa," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 98(3), pages 2169-2184, March.
    15. Hui-Zhen Fu & Xiao Long & Yuh-Shan Ho, 2014. "China’s research in chemical engineering journals in Science Citation Index Expanded: a bibliometric analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 98(1), pages 119-136, January.
    16. Huei-Chen Ho & Yuh-Shan Ho, 2015. "Publications in dance field in Arts & Humanities Citation Index: a bibliometric analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 105(2), pages 1031-1040, November.
    17. Hossein Gholizadeh & Hadi Salehi & Mohamed Embi & Mahmoud Danaee & Ali Ordi & Farid Tanha & Nader Ebrahim & Noor Azuan Osman, 2014. "Economic Growth and Internet Usage Impact on Publication Productivity among ASEAN’s and World’s Best Universities," Modern Applied Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 8(5), pages 169-169, October.
    18. Yixi Li & Yuan Wang & Xue Rui & Yaxiu Li & Yang Li & Huanzhi Wang & Jian Zuo & Yindong Tong, 2017. "Sources of atmospheric pollution: a bibliometric analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 112(2), pages 1025-1045, August.
    19. Hui-Zhen Fu & Kun-Yang Chuang & Ming-Huang Wang & Yuh-Shan Ho, 2011. "Characteristics of research in China assessed with Essential Science Indicators," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 88(3), pages 841-862, September.
    20. Mehdi Rhaiem & Nabil Amara, 2020. "Determinants of research efficiency in Canadian business schools: evidence from scholar-level data," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 125(1), pages 53-99, October.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:81:y:2009:i:3:d:10.1007_s11192-008-2229-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.