Abstract
The discipline of sociology generally has not analyzed the differential productivity among graduates of doctoral programs. When such productivity has been assessed, quantity rather than quality of publications has been the basis for comparisons. The present study uses data compiled from the Social Science Citation Index to measure the differential contributions to sociology by the graduates of a number of long established and prestigious doctoral programs in the field. Based on these data, a number of interesting patterns emerge concerning the quality of graduates' productivity, both across departments and within various alumni cohorts of the same department.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allison, P. and Stewart, J. A. Productivity differences among scientists: evidence for accumulative advantage.American Sociological Review 1974,39 596–606.
Abbott, W. F. Prestige mobility of university sociology departments in the United States: 1964–1969.American Sociologist 1973,8 38–41.
Berelson, B.Graduate education in the United States. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1960.
Cartter, A. M.An assessment of quality in graduate education. Washington, D.C.: American Council on Education, 1966.
Clemente, F. and Sturgis, R. B. Quality of departments of doctoral training and research productivity.Sociology of Education 1974,47 287–299.
Cole, J. and Cole, S. Measuring the quality of sociological research: problems in the use of the Science Citation Index.American Sociologist 1971,6 23–28.
Cole, J. and Cole, S.Social stratification in science. Chicago, Ill.: University of Chicago Press, 1973.
Glenn, N. D. and Villemez, W. The productivity of sociologists at 45 American universities.American Sociologist 1970,5 244–252.
Guide to graduate departments in sociology. Washington, D.C.: American Sociological Association, 1974.
Knudsen, D. D. and Vaughan, T. R. Quality in graduate education: a re-evaluation of the rankings of sociology departments in the Cartter Report.American Sociologist 1969,4 12–19.
Lewis, L. S. On subjective and objective rankings of sociology departments.American Sociologist 1968,3 129–131.
Lightfield, E. J. Output and recognition of sociologists.American Sociologist 1971,6 128–133.
Merton, R. K.The sociology of science. Chicago, Ill.: University of Chicago Press, 1973.
Mullins, N. C. and Mullins, C. J.Theories and theory groups in contemporary American sociology. New York: Harper & Row, 1973.
Roche, T. and Smith, D. L. Frequency of citations as criterion for the ranking of departments, journals and individuals.Sociological Inquiry, 1978, 49–57.
Roose, D. and Andersen, C. J.A rating of graduate programs. Washington, D.C.: American Council on Education, 1970.
Shichor, D. Prestige of sociology departments and the placing of new Ph.D.s.American Sociologist 1970,7 13–14.
Sibley, E.The education of sociologists in the United States. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1963.
Social science citation index. Philadelphia: Institute for Scientific Information, 1974.
Stehr, N. Ascriptive career contingencies of sociologists: a longitudinal analysis.American Sociologist 1974,9 206–211.
Sturgis, R. B. and Clemente, F. The productivity of graduates of 50 sociology departments.American Sociologist 1973,8 169–180.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
No special merit should be attached to the order of names. The authors contributed equally to this article.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Smith, D.L., Roche, T. & Snizek, W. Quality of graduate productivity in sociology as measured by the citation index: A longitudinal overview. Res High Educ 13, 343–352 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00976253
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00976253