Informational dynamics of journal article titles

Richard A. V. Diener

Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 1984, vol. 35, issue 4, 222-227

Abstract: The informational dynamics of journal article titles was investigated by analyzing the changing informational value of titles over time. The Informational value of titles was measured by counting the total number of words (y τ) in a title, counting the number of substantive words (ys), or keywords, in a title, and computing the proportion of substantive words (yp = ys/yτ) In a title. Random samples of journal article titles were gathered from four selected journals, six library journals, and six miscellaneous journals over the period from 1951 through 1980. The informational values were averaged by year to yield annual means for Yτ, Ys, and Yp. The patterns of change of these annual means were analyzed over time by regression analysis. We questioned whether linear regression analysis would yield equations representing the underlying data with a 95% or greater level of confidence. The results of these analyses were linear equations of the form, y = mt + b, where y Is the dependent variable (informational value), m is the slope of the equation, t is the independent variable (time), and b is the y‐intercept of the equation. The sign (+ or ‐) of the slope (m) indicates the direction of change (increasing or decreasing) of the informational dynamics of journal article titles. A rate of change was computed by differential calculus by differentiating informational value with respect to time. Rate of change Indicates how rapidly change is occurring. The sample journals selected in this research represent the primary literature, the review literature, the physical science literature, the social science literature, the library literature, and a miscellaneous collection of six journals.

Date: 1984
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