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The distribution of the uncitedness factor and its functional relation with the impact factor

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Abstract

The uncitedness factor of a journal is its fraction of uncited articles. Given a set of journals (e.g. in a field) we can determine the rank-order distribution of these uncitedness factors. Hereby we use the Central Limit Theorem which is valid for uncitedness factors since it are fractions, hence averages. A similar result was proved earlier for the impact factors of a set of journals. Here we combine the two rank-order distributions, hereby eliminating the rank, yielding the functional relation between the impact factor and the uncitedness factor. It is proved that the decreasing relation has an S-shape: first convex, then concave and that the inflection point is in the point (μ′, μ) where μ is the average of the impact factors and μ′ is the average of the uncitedness factors.

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References

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Acknowledgement

The author is grateful to Prof. Dr. R. Rousseau for his advise of using the Central Limit Theorem in the treatment of this problem.

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  1. Universiteit Hasselt (UHasselt), Campus Diepenbeek, Agoralaan, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium

    L. Egghe

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  1. L. Egghe
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Correspondence to L. Egghe.

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Egghe, L. The distribution of the uncitedness factor and its functional relation with the impact factor. Scientometrics 83, 689–695 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-009-0130-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-009-0130-y

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