The focus factor: A dynamic measure of journal specialisation

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The focus factor : A dynamic measure of journal specialisation. / Nicolaisen, Jeppe; Frandsen, Tove Faber.

In: Information Research. An International Electronic Journal, Vol. 20, No. 4, 2015.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Nicolaisen, J & Frandsen, TF 2015, 'The focus factor: A dynamic measure of journal specialisation', Information Research. An International Electronic Journal, vol. 20, no. 4. <http://www.informationr.net/ir/20-4/paper693.html#.Vq9rynnSmJB>

APA

Nicolaisen, J., & Frandsen, T. F. (2015). The focus factor: A dynamic measure of journal specialisation. Information Research. An International Electronic Journal, 20(4). http://www.informationr.net/ir/20-4/paper693.html#.Vq9rynnSmJB

Vancouver

Nicolaisen J, Frandsen TF. The focus factor: A dynamic measure of journal specialisation. Information Research. An International Electronic Journal. 2015;20(4).

Author

Nicolaisen, Jeppe ; Frandsen, Tove Faber. / The focus factor : A dynamic measure of journal specialisation. In: Information Research. An International Electronic Journal. 2015 ; Vol. 20, No. 4.

Bibtex

@article{ac53ac7ae5154ff7b0fd02c31246e5bc,
title = "The focus factor: A dynamic measure of journal specialisation",
abstract = "Introduction. We present a new bibliometric indicator to measure journal specialisation over time, named the focus factor. This new indicator is based on bibliographic coupling and counts the percentage of re-citations given in subsequent years.Method. The applicability of the new indicator is demonstrated on a selection of general science journals and on a selection of medical journals. The reference lists of each journal are compared year by year, and the percentage of re-citations is calculated by dividing the number of re-citations with the total number of citations each year.Analysis. To validate re-citations as caused by specialisation, other possible causes were measured and correlated (obsolescence, journal self-citations and number of references).Results. The results indicate that the focus factor is capable of distinguishing between general and specialised journals and thus effectively measures the intended phenomenon (i.e., journal specialisation). Only weak correlations were found between journal re-citations and obsolescence, journal self-citations, and number of references.Conclusions. The focus factor successfully measures journal specialisation over time. Measures based on either simple citation analysis or bibliographic coupling are found to be close relatives. Measures based on journal self-citation are found to be only weakly correlated with the focus factor. Measures based on co-citation analysis remain to be studied and compared.",
author = "Jeppe Nicolaisen and Frandsen, {Tove Faber}",
year = "2015",
language = "English",
volume = "20",
journal = "Information Research",
issn = "1368-1613",
publisher = "University of Sheffield Department of Information Studies",
number = "4",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - The focus factor

T2 - A dynamic measure of journal specialisation

AU - Nicolaisen, Jeppe

AU - Frandsen, Tove Faber

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - Introduction. We present a new bibliometric indicator to measure journal specialisation over time, named the focus factor. This new indicator is based on bibliographic coupling and counts the percentage of re-citations given in subsequent years.Method. The applicability of the new indicator is demonstrated on a selection of general science journals and on a selection of medical journals. The reference lists of each journal are compared year by year, and the percentage of re-citations is calculated by dividing the number of re-citations with the total number of citations each year.Analysis. To validate re-citations as caused by specialisation, other possible causes were measured and correlated (obsolescence, journal self-citations and number of references).Results. The results indicate that the focus factor is capable of distinguishing between general and specialised journals and thus effectively measures the intended phenomenon (i.e., journal specialisation). Only weak correlations were found between journal re-citations and obsolescence, journal self-citations, and number of references.Conclusions. The focus factor successfully measures journal specialisation over time. Measures based on either simple citation analysis or bibliographic coupling are found to be close relatives. Measures based on journal self-citation are found to be only weakly correlated with the focus factor. Measures based on co-citation analysis remain to be studied and compared.

AB - Introduction. We present a new bibliometric indicator to measure journal specialisation over time, named the focus factor. This new indicator is based on bibliographic coupling and counts the percentage of re-citations given in subsequent years.Method. The applicability of the new indicator is demonstrated on a selection of general science journals and on a selection of medical journals. The reference lists of each journal are compared year by year, and the percentage of re-citations is calculated by dividing the number of re-citations with the total number of citations each year.Analysis. To validate re-citations as caused by specialisation, other possible causes were measured and correlated (obsolescence, journal self-citations and number of references).Results. The results indicate that the focus factor is capable of distinguishing between general and specialised journals and thus effectively measures the intended phenomenon (i.e., journal specialisation). Only weak correlations were found between journal re-citations and obsolescence, journal self-citations, and number of references.Conclusions. The focus factor successfully measures journal specialisation over time. Measures based on either simple citation analysis or bibliographic coupling are found to be close relatives. Measures based on journal self-citation are found to be only weakly correlated with the focus factor. Measures based on co-citation analysis remain to be studied and compared.

M3 - Journal article

VL - 20

JO - Information Research

JF - Information Research

SN - 1368-1613

IS - 4

ER -

ID: 142259119