The Evaluation of Research By Scientometric Indicators

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Publication growth in science

Introduction

The first scientometric model of scientific growth was suggested by Price (1963). Accordingly, the lifetime of a scientific system may be characterized by an initial period with slow increase, followed by a phase of fast exponential growth and a third period with decreasing growth, which approximates to an upper limit. The logistic function obtained gives a symmetric S-shaped curve. Fernandez-Cano et al. (2004) published a review on the application of the model. Several models of other type were suggested (see, for example, van Raan, 2000; Egghe, 2005), but none of these is generally accepted.

According to Kant, science is a system of organised knowledge. The information model of science suggested ...