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Quantity is only one of the qualities

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  • Donald deB. Beaver

    (Williams College)

Abstract

As our fields have become more sophisticated, complex, and specialized, we deal with ever larger masses of data, and our quantitative results have become more detailed and esoteric, and difficult to interpret. Because our methods are predominantly quantitative, we tend to overlook or underemphasize the qualitative judgments that enter at every stage of our work, and to forget that quantity is only one of the qualities. As in our world today, where we face a flood of factoids and quantitative data stripped of context, and struggle to evaluate it, to give it meaning, and make it into information, so ought we qualitatively to acknowledge and contextualize our research results, not only to make them more relevant, meaningful, and useful to the larger world, but to give our work greater impact and value.

Suggested Citation

  • Donald deB. Beaver, 2012. "Quantity is only one of the qualities," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 93(1), pages 33-39, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:93:y:2012:i:1:d:10.1007_s11192-012-0657-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-012-0657-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Martin, Ben R. & Nightingale, Paul & Yegros-Yegros, Alfredo, 2012. "Science and technology studies: Exploring the knowledge base," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(7), pages 1182-1204.
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    4. Peter Van Den Besselaar, 2001. "The cognitive and the social structure of STS," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 51(2), pages 441-460, June.
    5. Kretschmer, Hildrun & Kretschmer, Theo, 2007. "Lotka's distribution and distribution of co-author pairs’ frequencies," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 1(4), pages 308-337.
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