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Information theory and scientific communication

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Abstract

Informal and formal communication processes are documented in the primary journal literature. Both processes impose structures on the authors who publish their research, and the formal process imposes a structure on the journals which publish scientific papers. In this paper, it is shown that information theory can be applied to these structures for the purpose of evaluating the contribution that authors and journals make to the communication of scientific information. Experimental results identify the most communicative authors and journals in an area of active research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Library Science, Case Western Reserve University, 44106, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

    W. M. Shaw Jr.

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  1. W. M. Shaw Jr.
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Additional information

Supported in part by the Rockefeller Foundation and based on a paper presented at the Conference on Biomedical Communications, Rockefeller Foundation Study and Conference Center, Bellagio, Italy, Oct., 1979.

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Shaw, W.M. Information theory and scientific communication. Scientometrics 3, 235–249 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02101668

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02101668

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