8/14/2019 Reprinted in Essays of an Information Scientist, Vol:6, p.468-471, 1983

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BmprLated from Scmm, JolJ lb, 1953, VOL 1% No. 3159, p- 10S-111.,

Citation Indexes for ScienceA New Dnenaion in Documentation

through Associationof IdeasEugene Garfield, F%.D.

Th e u nc ri ti ca l c i f at io n of disputeddatabys writer,whctbcxit bedcfibmatcof not, u z seriousmatter.Of come,knowinglypropagandizingunwbstmti-awd claim u particularlyAborrcnt,butjustm manynaivestudentsmaybeswayed tq unfounded asscrtims PK.Ic nt cd b y a w ri ter w ho i s u na wa re of t hec ri ti ci sm s. B ur ie d i n s cb ol ar ly j ou m a k ,c ri ti ml no tes a re i nc re as in gly f i i el y t ob e o ve rl oo ke d w i th t he p as sa ge o f !i mc ,w hi l e t ht sm di .s t o w hic h t hey p er t ai n,ha vi ng h t. rep or t ed m ore w id el y, a rea pt t o l x r ed is c ov er ed ; (i )I n t h k p ap er I p ro po se a b ib li og ra ph ic

syst c m for K im .. l i t era t ure t ha t c ane li mi na te t he u nc ri ti ca l c iL al i.n o f h a .duk nt , inc om plet e, o r obm k[c dam bym ak in g i t pm si bk fo r l Iu c om ci cnt io .sic hok r t o be aw are of c t k i c im u ofe ar tk r p ap er s. I I i $ t o n m u c h t o e xp ec t ares ea rc h w ork . r t o sp en d m i o rdi nat .a mo un t o f t ir m s .a rc ht mg f or t he b !b fi c-g r .ph,c d=c ndant s of a .1 .,edm t p,.pm . I t w oul d not & ex cess ive t o de-m and i hat t he t horo ugh sc ho lar c he cka l l pap t m t hat hzve c it ed or c ri t ic izedsuc h pspc rs , i l t hey cm dd be l oca t edq.i .k ly . ~,. c it at ion i ndex rnak cs h i%c he ck p ra ct ,c .b k. F.v e. i i t he re w e re oo t her use for a c it at im i ndex l h .n du(o f r pi ni mi zi ng t he .# ta ti on O( p .w r d .t a,t he i nde x w ou ld b . w el l w or fb t ic c lfo rtrq ui rc d t o c om pi l e i l.Th i i pa~r c onsi dem t he pi h lc u t i l -

i l y o f a c i t a t ion i nd .x l fu t OKc m a new

a pp~c h,- f i bje ct c on trol c d t h e I i tc ,a.t ur e o f s cw nc c . By vi rt ue of i ts d < f le remc on st ru ct io n, i t t en & t o br i ng t og et herm at er ia l t ha t w o ul d n ev er b e c ol la te d b yt ie um al m bj cc t in de xin g. I t i s be st d e.t c r i fud .s an a-i .t i o +f .i deas i ndex ,and i t g i v- t he reader M much leew aya s h e r qu ir a. Su gg es ti ve ne ss t hr ou gha ss oc i a i on -o f.i de as u .f fe rc d b y c o nv .n -l io na l $ ub je c t i nd ex e s b u t o nl y w i t hi n t h eI im i u o f a p ar ti c ul ar s ub je c t h ea di ng .I f o ne c om id cm t he b oo k .s t he rn am u

un it of t hm gh t an d t he p cr i +i cal a rt ic lefhe m ic ro un it o f t hou ght , t he n t he c it a-t ion i ti dc x i n #o me res pe ct s dm ls in !h es.bm ic m o r m ole cul ar un it o f t ho ug ht .1! i t here t ha t m os t i ndex es arc inade-q u at e , b e c au s e f hc s c ie n ti s t i s q u it e o f te nc on cc m ed w i th a p ar ti cu la r i de a r at he rd un w i t h a c o rn pf et c c o nc e pt . T ho ug ht i nd ex es c an b e e xt re me ly u se fu l i f t he ya re p ro pe rl y m n ce iv ed a nd d ev el op ed .

l rI t he l it er al . r e-s ca rc h, g p ro .-, i .d cx c s p fa y o nl y a s d l, a lt ho ug h s i~ ni fi ..s1, part.flowwho %ck ccwnp r t h c i u iv ei tt dc x u t o i he I it em [u re c d s c ic nc c f ai l t op oi nt OU t th at m .h i nd .x c + .It h..g h ,h .ymay & desi rab l e, w il l provi de onl y aMt .. ,t .r t mg POIIM t hm (he one prmvi ale d i t he w lc ct ive i d cx m a t p rm cma va il ab le , Om o f t he b as ic d if fi c l[ i cs uw bui l d w bj c ct i dc xc s t hat c . an t ic i-p at e t he in fi ni te n .m bc r o f p os .,b k approac k t he sc im ti st m ay requ i re . Pm .p o nc n t s o f c l a ss i fi e d i n d ex e s ma y s u gg e stthatc la ss if i ca ti on u [ he m lu ti on t o t ~t ,p rob l em . but t h i s i s by IW rnc am t he

- Class i f i ed i ndex ca are ak o dc pm d-em upn a s u bj e ct a n al y si s o f i n di v id u ala r t i c k l and , a t bu f , o l k r u bet t e r CO.-i se en cy o f i nd ex in g r at he r t ba g re at er.pec fi u t y or rnuk ipl i c it y i n fbc s.b j c cta pp ro ac h. Si md ar ly , t er mi no lo gy i , i m.p or t an t, bu t ev en - i de al .t an dard iza-t ko n of t erm in ol ogy a nd n om mc la t.mw il l no t so lve t he prc .bkm of SUI+CLVmaly!kWhat*enu to Ix needed,then,in ad.didc.nto teue? a n d mo re c ompr e bc n s iv .i nd ex e s, a lp ha be t ic a l . d c l ms if ie d, .,.w t ypes o f b i bl i ograph i c t ook t ha t c anh el p t o s pa t he g ap b@# ee n t he w b j.c s~ ppm ac h Of [ hm c w b o c r ea t e d a cum en uffut i s, a .t hors--and t he i ubj .c t appro ac b o f t he s ci en ti st w ho w ek s i rd or .mat i on .Sin ce 1 87 3 t he le gal p rofe ssi on h ~

been prov ided w it h an i nva l .bk re-w ard t oo l kmw n M Shepo, .4s Citd icwu,f mb li sb ed b y Sh cp ar ds Ci ta ti on s, I nc .,Col o rado Spr i ng t , CA. (2 ). A c il at io i nd ex u pu bl ish ed for c ou rt c as es i n t he48 s tat .a as w el l as for .a% s i n Fe dc r.1c ou rt s B ri ef ly , t he Sh ep ar d c it at io n ~t ern is . l is t in g o f i nd iv idu al Am er ic anc mrt c asm , eac h c am Lx i g fd l ow ed bya c om pl et e hi st ory , w ri tt en i n a s im pl ec ed e. U nd er c ?.c h c as e i s g iv en . r ec or do f t he p ub li c at io ns t b%t h av e referr,d mt he c ase , t he o the r c ou rt d cc kio m t ha thzve af fec ted t he c ase, a d any ot herrc {emnc ei t hat may l x of V-AC t o t h tl aw ye r, T his fy pc of l is t in g i s pa rt ic -k dy im por t ant t o [he l aw yer , bc ca se ,i n faw , m uc h i s based . prec cdc ntCi tat io n i nd ex ei d cp e d on a s im pfe

syst em of c od i ng c .t r ies, one & at m .q .,r = m i.i m.m $ Pa c, a .d fa c,l it a~~ Ih cg at hw i g t oge th er i d a ~rc at v ol um e ofm .l e r i a l . How ever , a m xfe i s or abm .l u t dy n e ce s sa ry i f o n e c h o o s es t o c ompi l e. Ww m.t i. l i s t ing o f i .di v ,d .al c as .s o rre pa o, w it h a c om pl et e bi bl i ogra ph ich i s t o r y of each of t hc m. Tb .s, i t w oul db + p im i bl e 1 0 l is t a ll p er ti ne nt r ef mm .ct in de r e ac h c ast , w it h su l?i ci cn t m m.

Lh . Garti*ld. D IMCIO, o f t h e 1 . ., 1 ,. , .10, Scmn,l t lc I k .m t lm , 3$ sout h 17*8,,..,, Ph,l .d.l f i ,m 3, P..

Reprinted in Essays of an Information Scientist, Vol:6, p.468-471, 1983

8/14/2019 Reprinted in Essays of an Information Scientist, Vol:6, p.468-471, 1983

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2p lc wnc ss t o gi ve t he i nde x m .re of t heA~ pa r an c e c d a b ib li og mp b y , H m+w vc r,[hu w ould re$ul t in m ex trem ely bul kyvo l ume.T he re a re a na lo gi ct f n b il di ia pM c

o ~r ~t io ns . Fo r e xa mp le , i n c at ah gi ngb oo k s [ or f mo be fl c rd a ? l i b ra ry c ad og s,m ia wc tnp t i s m ad e t o f ind refc renc a t oeach bmkinonea mor e aa t bor i t at i v ebi b f i iph ic soumei , & u t bdcata.~s.( t he Br i ti sh Museum ( BM), Bi bl i o.dt ~que Na ti onal e (BN), o rt bc Li bra ryo f f ht gr cm (L c). T IM a ut bo ri t y ar dw ed in c at al ogin g w me ti ma fook i f i ke1 F& pad ent ry.Anm ber lx fl mp]e u 1 b wk -revi ew d ,-gat , k n w Mc b one fi nds for eac h bookt ide s W& of refc rm cc s and sel ec tionsImm publ i shed t i ew s, c rk ic a l qndo t he t w is e. Ce rt a in i nd e xi n g p ub fi a ti on spcr i 4 rm q dm il a r f un c k io n.Som e t im e ago I bec am e c on cerned

w it h t he probl em 01 d cvelo pi g a c it a.& an c ode for ac km c. Thi i w at m cesa~f or t he e tl ic k nt m an ip uh ti oo b y I IU Ch an .id dt ic a of c nt r i a t o t ient if i c i ndaes .[ a d ie c ou nc o f t hi s r es ea rc h 1 d e ve lo pe da vw sim ple syst em for ident ify i ng ani nd hi du d 8 ci mt if ic a rt ic le t ha t h ad a p-parcd i n t he pc ri ac k af pm. l lu re-w lt in g n um er ic al c od e c om is ta f o f I WOpart s. h t in t par t w at a ser ial n mbc r,u se d i ns te ad o f a n a bb re vi at io n, t o i de n-t ify eac h per iod ic al ; i t w sim it ar t o t heser i al n um but em pl oyed i m t he Worldfit Of Scuntific Pe,iodicafa, by no meansq new idea. Fo r m a m pl q Du BibJie.gmph it dtr /r tmdsprachigea Zri /mhr i/ .tca Li:ma:ur has for many yean w edt ucb a ~ent t o save s pace.

T he se cond pa rt 0 1 t he c ode m mt bc rWM dm a s er i al m unbc r, at +m d @ e ac hudc le i n . pm ti c l.r pub li cat io n, st ar t .i ns w it h I a nd c on ti nu in g t hm ug ho t a llvol um e& T le c ode t hut gi ves M i ndi ca.don of yea r or vol um e nu mbm , a K nowa bo rt co rn in g. T he u dc !e n um be r i , q soem umi q e, h av in g b ee n u s ed b y t he Pro.cetdine: of the $ocit ty @ Exp,rimtntakBiology qnd Mcdicinr timx itt i ncep t i on .T he se t w o s er ia l n um be m t ab t og et he r,i t c an b e w e n , c an i dc m if y a ny p ub li sh edp er io di c al a rt i cl e h s oo n Lm t am c a pp at .en t , q t e, t uc h c od es h a d b ee n u t i li ze d o na n e xp er im en ta l k us i% t ha t t he u se o f t hec od es w o u ld t .t if it at c t he c omp il at io n o f. c it at io n i nd ex . ( Ch he r coding sys(umsw o ul d b e e qu al ly qp pf k ab l e. )A c i ta ti on i nd ex t o s ci en ce w o ul d h av e

t he f ol lo w in g m ai n c h ar ac c cn st ic s. Fw s tt here w oul d be a c om pl et e alp habet icl is ti ng c d a l l p eri od ic al s c ov er ed , i n a d-di t ion t o t he c ode num bs for eac h P -.r io dt .a l. T he It sl w ou ld b e s im il ar 1 0 t heWo rf d . LM I. bu t w i th ou t t he l ib ra ry h ol d-ings i n fonnauon. The m ain porl ion oft he c ,t at io n i nd ex w ou ld l is t i n s tr ai gh !n um er ic a l o rd er l he c o de n um bcm f or a llt he ani c l e s c overe& U dc r eac h c ode um be r, f or e xa mp le , 9 00 1.6 78 9, t he m

w c ml d b e l is te d o t he r c od e n um bm r ep -r es en ti ng m t i cl a t ha t h ad refrrrrd to t hear t ic le i n qu cst i~ t cget he r w it h m t i n-di c dan of w het her t he c i t i ng w urc cw a s a n o ri gi na l a rt i cl q r ev ie w , a bs tr ac t ,* m t ic fq pat ent , o r tmnsfat ion, andm f or t h. I II c ?l e cf , t h e SYWCI IIw o u ld p l O -vi de a c om pl et e f i ii ng, for t he ~bl ic a.t io ns c o ve re d, o f .1 1 t h e o ri gi na l q t i c l c it hat had refer red t o t he anic lc i n qt ws-t iom T his w ould c lear l y b Pm ti cul ar lyI AI Ch d in h ut or ic af r rs ca rc h, w h en o ne i tUyi ng t a t valuate t he t i~i f i c aiw e of afmrt ic ular w ork and im impac t on kf i t ct -a tu re a nd t hin king of di e per i od.Suc h UI %lFUCt fSCt O# l l uy k UUK bm or e i nd ic a ti ve t ha n qn a bs ol ut e c o un tof t he number of a sc ient ht h publ b-t ion s, w hi ch w a9 u sed by L& na (3)and Dennis (4). The Impact factor hsimilu to the q.aot it ui ve m cam rc &t ai nc d b y Gr os s (5). in evaluating t ber el at iv e i mp ta nc e o f x ie nt ih c j ou nu k,a m et hod l at er c ri ti c ized by Brc dm an(6) fut used agai n by Fw lc r (7).Ot he r a dv an ca gc t w ou ld a tw o bt ai n.

I ns w ay s uc h l iw in gt w ou ld p mv id c e ac hx ie nt is t w i th qn i nd iv id ua l d ip pi ng s ew -ic e. By refer ri ng t o t he Ii st in gz for huani c lc , d aut hor c oul d readi ly det er .m ine w hi ch ot k ac ic mdsu w e re m ak ii gmferc nc e t o t i w ork . t hus inc reasingc ommun ic a t io n p os s ib i lh i u b e tw e e n a c i-e nt is ta . I t i s afm p os si bl e t ha t t he i n& -v id ua l K ic n ti m t hu s m ig ht b cc on w a w ar eof i mpf ic at iom i n hi s st udia t hat he w asn ot a wa re o f b ef or e

Meet aut hors I i k c t o w bow lhei rworks qr e r ec e iv ed , B ri n gi n g t o ge t he r a l lk ook review s and abst rac ts i s VW im -por t ant , for i ! i t not post ib le for ana ut ho r t o k ee p u p w it h t he t bo us an da o fpub f i cm ioi u i w hi ch hi , c ont ribu ti onm ig ht b e re vi ew ed . T hi s a pp li u q ua ll y@ p ub li sf wn . h w ou ld n ot b e i m ~i b[ew i nc lu de k oo ks i n t he c im ti on i nd ex . I n-deed, u a f im t suggest i on, lbe .ie ofLibrary of Gngrc i t c ard numb u thei de nt if yi ng c .m ie f or b co ki w ou ld s ee mappropr iate.

I t i i nc cew ary nex t t o diac un $omcrea l i s t i c qust ion t con cern ed wib rh cmfiition of t uc h a n in dex . Bi tner (8)h a s e st i m amd t h at SO ,( XM c a se s a rc c o v-e red by Shcpard~ Cifdiow III 1 y ea r,t he ca~ -d ar t ic l e appear ing i n notm ore t han a fe w h n drc d pub li cm ion s.In 1953 about t m il f ion c it at iom w erea dded-c lox t d 40 c it at ions p er c ase.Whz t i s t h e p ro sp sc { i n s c ie n ti f ic l i w ra .

lure? The la tt p ubl idt ed c di t ic m o f t heWorld tit of Scicmifc Periodicals mm-uincd more t ha n 5 0,0 00 !i tl c s i n s ci c nc ca nd t ec hn ol og y. I t i s v a ri ou dy c $t i rn aw ddial b et ween I a nd 3 m il l ion at sc ien-t i fi c a ni c l ey a re p ub l is he d e ac h y ea r. T he/ot i rd of /h/ ,4mmicam Choni.d So.cicty aloife p b lk bc s m or e t bm .SOt KIpYear , i n c l ud ing appr ox imat e l y NOOo r ig i .ma! q tw ks. The order of m.t g it ude i s

cberc fo re paenthllyrom 50 10 100t imu u great u i t U for k k ~pdl Ci t a-1km,.

f fo wc vl r, n ot l ff o f t he se 5 0,0 00 p ubf ic at i cm t a rc b ei ng c ov cm f i n o ur p re se nti nd ex in g a ct iv it ie s, a nd y et t it s h as Mlp te vc m ed u s f ro m c o nt in ui ng i nd ex es O(s ta nd ar d t yp e o r f mm s ta rt i ng n ew o ne s.L ic k o f c om pl et e c ov er ag e u n ot r KCCS-m ri ly M m gum ent agai nst * c it at ion i n-dex . I I u i n fac t qn a rg um en t i n i ti f av or .(l w c ra ge c ou ld p er ha p# b e f i m it ed t o t hefi st o f p er ia dk al s c ov er ed b y o ne o f t hel ea di ng i nd ex in g -i ce % T II U a pp ro ac &w o f d, o f c ou rs e, h a ve a n i mm ed ia te d%advant age, Suc h a wbjw selectionw o ul d m ea n t ha t l aY d ir ca ty r el at ed m ibj ec u o f i nt er es t w ou ld b e e xc lu de d, a ndt he se a rc t he p ub li c at io ns t ha t t he i nd i.v id ua l i s l e as t l ik el y 1 0 c ov er i n h is o wnr~mh. It w oul d be nec essary t o con-s id er a ll t he p i-u s an d c on s i n a t ef cc ti ve~,pp-ch an d t he . c o de te rm in e t he p m.s ib le u ti li ty o f s uc h a t oo l. Fo r a am pf c,w ou ld a c it at io n i nd ex t o t he 1 5CL lp eri -odic al c overrd by t he Curw ti Li d 0/.44tdicd Li trm fu m be ofrealvalue.or,simi lar ly, q c it at ion inde x t o t he 5@J 0p cr i.x fi ca fs c ov er ed b y Ch em i ca k Ab.I t ,l ICt l ? T he Cu rw n t List w ou ld , i n f ac t,offer a good st art ing poin t, s i nc e i t af -ready provi d= a uni que code for t heI IXWIO i tem s in dex ed by i t eac h year .P resumab l y t hesea r e t he mos t s i gn i f ic an tc on tr ib ut io n i n t he c c w er cd fi el d$ f or d iey ea r. I f I O i s t h e n um be r o f r cf er en ce z i nt he a ve ra ge a rt ic le , t he n a ti t 1 m il li onc it at i cm i w o ul d b e i nv ol ve d. T he p re ps .ra ti on of t hat num ber ann ual l y i s M u n-r ea so na bl e. Sh ep ar di h as a lr ea dy u se dw el l o ve r 5 0 m il li on c it at io na i n i tt p ub -f isbing qc t i v i t i cmTIM Idm at e ac cess of a c it at ion i n-

d ex w ou ld d ep en d O. m an y f ac to rs . Fo re x am pl e, i f QCI I p er io di c al w o uI d a ss ig nu ni qu e c od e n u mfx rs t o t he a rt ic lu p ub .IMA, i t w ould be ~i bfe for authon10 l i st t ha t num bet x i n their bibl iogra-ph i c ! qn d, t hu s, 1 0 sa ve t he w ork o f m d-i W,On t he p ar t o f t be c i ta ti on i nd ex WSf f.It u w il sk el y t ha t mb a dcvel opmm tc oul d t ak e pl ace in lea! !ban 5 G+ 10y ea r!, b ut i t i t c om pa ra bl e t o t he p ro bl emof getting pufdidmz to i n cl ud e L i br m yof Gngr- cm-d numbcn in the i r pubI i ca t i ons .When suc h a l arge volume of dat a i s

t o be handl ed, m ec han ic al devi c u ofh ig h s pe ed a nd v cm at if hy c ou fd b e u se dm g re ai a dv an ta ge a d w ou ld p ro ba bl yd et er mi ne s uc c es s or f ai lu re . Ch ICC t hec c dn g i s d on e, c om pi la ti on i ue lf u q ui tem e c ha ni c al . T b i$ c o ul d b e d o ne b y mean so f c on ve nt io na l f il in g d i~, t he Sh ep ar do rg an i za t io n i t se l f h a , u se d t h an I UCCUS.fu ll y for W yea rs. How ever , i t w ou ld t Mfac il it at ed b y a m ec hanic al a pproac fIu si ng p n ch c d c a rd x

The ut il i t y of a c it at ion index i n anyf ie ld n um t qso IM c onsi dered fm m t ba

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apoint d vinu of he tranmimion,1i d rw . A [hmm ,gh sc i ent i st c annot bes a ti s fi e dm e re l y w i t h t c a rc h i ng f hc l i m ra -t ur e t h ro ug h i nd c x,~ a nd b ib li og ra ph ic