Tracing the 'swan groups' of physics and economics in the key publications of Nobel Laureates
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Tracing the 'swan groups' of physics and economics in the key publications of Nobel Laureates. / Zhang, Helena H.; Zuccala, Alesia Ann; Ye, Fred Y.
I: Scientometrics, Bind 119, Nr. 1, 2019, s. 425-436.Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › fagfællebedømt
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Tracing the 'swan groups' of physics and economics in the key publications of Nobel Laureates
AU - Zhang, Helena H.
AU - Zuccala, Alesia Ann
AU - Ye, Fred Y.
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - Following the ‘black-white swan' interaction metaphor introduced in an earlier study, we now trace and observe a new ‘swan-group’ pattern. Our motivation for introducing the "swan group" is based on the fact that 'black-white swan' interactions are observed primarily in physics, which belongs to science. We extend a newer model called the ‘swan-group’ model and test its applicability to the field of economics, which belongs to the social sciences. The primary feature of this model is that the ‘black swan’ represents an important scientific discovery or contribution that has been awarded Nobel Prize, while the ‘white swans’ are highly cited publications by the ‘black swan’. Together the two types of swans form a group, though unlike the original 'black-white swan' interaction pattern, the 'swan-groups’ do not necessarily interact in a way where we see a marked decrease in citations to white swans. Our findings show that the new ‘swan-group’ pattern covers about 50% of key Nobel prize-winning physics papers and about 40% of key Nobel prize-winning economic papers. This allows us to identify important academic achievements both qualitatively and quantitatively, not only in science where major breakthroughs can cause paradigm shifts, but also in the social sciences where progress often remains open to multiple discoveries and doctrines.
AB - Following the ‘black-white swan' interaction metaphor introduced in an earlier study, we now trace and observe a new ‘swan-group’ pattern. Our motivation for introducing the "swan group" is based on the fact that 'black-white swan' interactions are observed primarily in physics, which belongs to science. We extend a newer model called the ‘swan-group’ model and test its applicability to the field of economics, which belongs to the social sciences. The primary feature of this model is that the ‘black swan’ represents an important scientific discovery or contribution that has been awarded Nobel Prize, while the ‘white swans’ are highly cited publications by the ‘black swan’. Together the two types of swans form a group, though unlike the original 'black-white swan' interaction pattern, the 'swan-groups’ do not necessarily interact in a way where we see a marked decrease in citations to white swans. Our findings show that the new ‘swan-group’ pattern covers about 50% of key Nobel prize-winning physics papers and about 40% of key Nobel prize-winning economic papers. This allows us to identify important academic achievements both qualitatively and quantitatively, not only in science where major breakthroughs can cause paradigm shifts, but also in the social sciences where progress often remains open to multiple discoveries and doctrines.
U2 - 10.1007/s11192-019-03036-9
DO - 10.1007/s11192-019-03036-9
M3 - Journal article
VL - 119
SP - 425
EP - 436
JO - Scientometrics
JF - Scientometrics
SN - 0138-9130
IS - 1
ER -
ID: 216349021