Production and Citation Measures in the Sociology of Science: The Problem of Multiple Authorship

Abstract

Previous studies in the sociology of science have relied on measures of production and citations which have failed to take account of multiple authorship. This study indicates that these previous (and still currently used) measures introduce intolerable error and often profoundly influence substantive interpretation. To address the problem of multiple authorship in the measurement of publications and citations, a revision of current indices is presented. Previous measurement error may well require a re-analysis and rethinking of previous reported studies in the sociology of science.