Bibliometric laws: Empirical flaws of fit

R. Bailón-Moreno, E. Jurado-Alameda, R. Ruiz-Baños and J. P. Courtial
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R. Bailón-Moreno: Departamento de Ingeniería Química. Facultad de Ciencias, Campus de Fuentenueva Universidad de Granada
E. Jurado-Alameda: Departamento de Ingeniería Química. Facultad de Ciencias, Campus de Fuentenueva Universidad de Granada
R. Ruiz-Baños: Departamento de Biblioteconomía y Documentación, Facultad de Biblioteconomía y Documentación, Universidad de Granada
J. P. Courtial: Laboratoire de Psychologie - Education - Cognition Développement (LabECD), Université de Nantes

Scientometrics, 2005, vol. 63, issue 2, No 2, 209-229

Abstract: Summary The bibliometric laws of Zipf, Bradford, and Lotka, in their various mathematical expressions, frequently present difficulties in the fitting of empirical values. The empirical flaws of fit take place in the frequency of the words, in the productivity of the authors and the journals, as well as in econometric and demographic aspects. This indicates that the underlying fractal model should be revised, since, as shown, the inverse power equations (of the Zipf-Mandelbrot type) are not adequate, as they need to include exponential terms. These modifications not only affect Bibliometrics and Scientometrics, but also, for the generality of the fractal model, apply to Economy, Demography, and even Natural Sciences in general.

Date: 2005
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DOI: 10.1007/s11192-005-0211-5

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