Scientometrics
Volume/Issue:
Volume 15: Issue 5-6
Citations: Indicators of significance?
Authors:
Olga Amsterdamska University of Amsterdam Department of Science Dynamics Nieuwe Achtergracht 166 1018 WV Amsterdam The Netherlands Nieuwe Achtergracht 166 1018 WV Amsterdam The Netherlands

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L. Leydesdorff University of Amsterdam Department of Science Dynamics Nieuwe Achtergracht 166 1018 WV Amsterdam The Netherlands Nieuwe Achtergracht 166 1018 WV Amsterdam The Netherlands

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Pages:
449–471
Online Publication Date:
13 Aug 2005
Publication Date:
26 May 1989
Article Category:
Research Article
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02017065
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Abstract  

What makes a scientific article significant? This paper-part of a larger study which will examine how various kinds of significance can be related to one another in a coherent theoretical framework-focusses on the processes by which new knowledge claims are being integrated into the cognitive structure when they are cited in other papers. Citations appear both as threads linking the citing papers to the existing literature in the field, and as elements fulfilling specific functions within the arguments made in these papers. We have found that (1) it is misleading to equate every article with a single knowledge claim, let alone with an attempt to construct a fact; (2) even when the same sentence is cited repeatedly, it can be put to quite different uses in the citing papers; and (3) the process of codification of scientific knowledge through the use of references appears to be far more complex and multi-dimensional than citation context analyses focussing on the use and the gradual disappearance of modalities would lead us to believe. Some consequences for the use use of citation analysis to reconstruct cognitive structures will be discussed.

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Cover Scientometrics
Scientometrics
Print ISSN:
0138-9130
Online ISSN:
1588-2861

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Scientometrics
Language English
Size B5
Year of
Foundation		 1978
Volumes
per Year		 1
Issues
per Year		 12
Founder Akadémiai Kiadó
Founder's
Address		 H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245.
Publisher Akadémiai Kiadó
Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Publisher's
Address		 H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245.
CH-6330 Cham, Switzerland Gewerbestrasse 11.
Responsible
Publisher		 Chief Executive Officer, Akadémiai Kiadó
ISSN 0138-9130 (Print)
ISSN 1588-2861 (Online)

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