Skip to main content

Vital signs for basic research in the behavioral and social sciences

Abstract

Notably missing fromScience Indicators are output measures of the status of basic research in the behavioral and social sciences. Two such measures are suggested. Citation indexes appear to yield estimates of quality as well as productivity that are comparable to peer judgments in various fields of science. A variety of measures of employment of scientific personnel may indicate the growth or decline of scientific activity in specific fields.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

References

  1. G. CARTER,Peer Review, Citations and Biomedical Research Policy: NIH Grants to Medical School Faculty, RAND publication R-1583-HEW, Santa Monica, 1974.

  2. Committee on Biomedical Research in the Veterans Administration,Biomedical Research in the V. A., Assembly of Life Sciences, National Research Council, Washington, D. C., 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  3. K. W. DEUTSCH, J. PLATT, D. SENGHAAS, Conditions Favoring Major Advances in Social Science,Science, 171 (1971) 450–459.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Riecken, H.W. Vital signs for basic research in the behavioral and social sciences. Scientometrics 2, 435–437 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02095087

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02095087

Keywords

  • Social Science
  • Vital Sign
  • Output Measure
  • Citation Index
  • Scientific Activity