Scientometrics

, Volume 22, Issue 1, pp 9–39 | Cite as

A study of the publishing activity of astronomers since 1969

  • E. Davoust
  • L. D. Schmadel
Article

Abstract

This is a statistical analysis of the publishing activity of astronomers worldwide, as measured by the number of papers and monographs published in the period 1969–87. Both the astronomical literature and the number of authors publishing in the field are increasing rapidly. The distribution of productivity among astronomers is followed in time, thus revealing the evolution of research methods and publication strategies in the past 19 years. Fourteen “superproductive” astronomers, who published over 150 papers in 15 years, and the subsample of French astronomers active in 1986 are investigated separately.

Keywords

Research Method Publishing Activity Publication Strategy Astronomical Literature French Astronomer 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. 1.
    H.A. Abt, Long-term citation histories of astronomical papers,Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 93 (1981) 207–210.Google Scholar
  2. 2.
    H.A. Abt, Some trends in American astronomical publications,Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 93 (1981) 269–272.Google Scholar
  3. 3.
    H.A. Abt, Statistical publication histories of American astronomers,Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 94 (1982) 213–220.Google Scholar
  4. 4.
    H.A. Abt, At what ages did outstanding American astronomers publish their most-cited papers?,Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 95 (1983) 113–116.Google Scholar
  5. 5.
    H.A. Abt, Citations to federally-funded and unfunded research,Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 96 (1984) 563–565.Google Scholar
  6. 6.
    H.A. Abt, Citations to single and multiauthored papers,Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 96 (1984) 746–749.Google Scholar
  7. 7.
    H.A. Abt, Are papers by well-known astronomers accepted for publication more readily than other papers?Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 99 (1987) 439–441.Google Scholar
  8. 8.
    H.A. Abt, Reference frequencies in astronomy and related sciences,Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 99 (1987) 1329–1332.Google Scholar
  9. 9.
    H.A. Abt, What happens to rejected astronomical papers?Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 100 (1988) 506–508.Google Scholar
  10. 10.
    H.A. Abt, Growth rates in various fields of astronomy,Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 100 (1988) 1567–1571.Google Scholar
  11. 11.
    H.A. Abt, J. Liu, Journal referencing,Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 101 (1989) 555–559.Google Scholar
  12. 12.
    M. Grewing, Zur Rolle der Kommunikation und Zusammenarbeit in der Astronomie,Mitteilungen der Astronomischen Gesellschaft, 67 (1986) 15–16.Google Scholar
  13. 13.
    W.E. Harris, Short communications in the astronomical literature,Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 95 (1983) 989–991.Google Scholar
  14. 14.
    D.B. Herrmann, Eine Methode zur Messung der Bedeutung von Naturwissenschaftlern,Mitteilungen der Archenhold Sternwarte, (1976) no 126.Google Scholar
  15. 15.
    D.B. Herrmann, Astronomie im 20. Jahrhundert,Die Sterne, 60 (1984) 284–290 (=Metteilungen der Archenhold Sternwarte, n0 151).Google Scholar
  16. 16.
    J. Irvine, B.R. Martin, L'évaluation de la recherche fondamentale est-elle possible?La Recherche, (1981) n0 128, 1406–1416.Google Scholar
  17. 17.
    A.J. Lotka, The frequency distribution of scientific productivity,Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences, 16 (1926) 317–323.Google Scholar
  18. 18.
    R.K. Merton, The Matthew effect in science,Science, 159 (1968) 56–63.Google Scholar
  19. 19.
    C.J. Peterson, The evaluation of scientific research: a brief study of citations to research papers from the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory,Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, 81 (1987) 30–35.Google Scholar
  20. 20.
    C.J. Peterson, Citation analysis of astronomical literature: comments on citation half-lives,Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 100 (1988) 1006–1015.Google Scholar
  21. 21.
    A.R. Rao, M.N. Vahia, A comment on the author's ages for the most cited papers,Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 96 (1984) 661–662.Google Scholar
  22. 22.
    A.R. Rao, M.N. Vahia, Multiple citations of multiple-author publications,Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 98 (1986) 511–512.Google Scholar
  23. 23.
    Th. Schmidt-Kaler, Die astronomische Forschung im Lichte der quantitativen Entwicklung der astronomischen Fachliteratur und ihre Bewertung,Mitteilungen der Astronomischen Gesellschaft, 57 (1982) 9–23.Google Scholar
  24. 24.
    H.A. Thronson, Jr. The distribution of astronomical research among the United States over the past half century,Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 99 (1987) 1209–1213.Google Scholar
  25. 25.
    V. Trimble, Postwar, growth in the length of astronomical and other scientific papers,Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 96 (1984) 1007–1016.Google Scholar
  26. 26.
    V. Trimble, Some notes on patterns in citations of papers by American astronomers,Quarterly Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society, 26 (1985) 45–50.Google Scholar
  27. 27.
    V. Trimble, A note on self-citation rates in astronomical papers,Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 98 (1986) 1347–1348.Google Scholar
  28. 28.
    V. Trimble, Death comes as the end — effects of cessation of personal influence upon rates of citation of astronomical papers,Czechoslovak Journal of Physics B 36 (1986) 175–179.Google Scholar
  29. 29.
    S. van den Bergh, Publication by Canadian astronomers,Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, 78 (1984) 97–102.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Akadémiai Kiadó 1991

Authors and Affiliations

  • E. Davoust
    • 1
  • L. D. Schmadel
    • 2
  1. 1.Observatoire Midi-PyrénéesToulouse(France)
  2. 2.Astronomisches Rechen-InstitutHeidelberg 1(Germany)

Personalised recommendations