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Validating indicators of interdisciplinarity: linking bibliometric measures to studies of engineering research labs

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Abstract

This article examines the extent to which specific features of interdisciplinary research are accurately reflected in selected bibliometric measures of scholarly publications over time. To test the validity of these measures, we compare knowledge of research processes and impact based on ethnographic studies of a well-established researcher’s laboratory, together with personal interview data, against bibliometric indicators of cognitive integration, diffusion, and impact represented in the entire portfolio of papers produced by this researcher over time.

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Notes

  1. VantagePoint: http://www.theVantagePoint.com.

  2. For details of how integration scores I are calculated, see Porter et al. 2008.

  3. t tests were calculated with benefit of: http://www.graphpad.com/quickcalcs/ttest1.cfm.

  4. For more on JIFs, including how they are calculated, see http://thomsonreuters.com/products_services/science/free/essays/impact_factor/.

  5. Benchmark sample sizes are calculated with benefit of: http://www.surveysystem.com/sscalc.htm, using a confidence level of 95 % and confidence interval of ±3.

  6. The top five SCs for Nerem (by record counts), in order of magnitude, are: Engineering, Biomedical (BME), Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD), Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems (CCS), Hematology (HEM) and Cell Biology (CBI). We note that the lion’s share (i.e., 63.75 %) of Nerem’s research falls into one or more of these categories.

  7. A Nerem publication with the SC Biomedical Engineering (BME) is said to be affiliated with the BME benchmark.

  8. t tests are calculated with benefit of: http://www.graphpad.com/quickcalcs/ttest1.cfm?Format=SD.

  9. The mean number of cases (i.e., publications) Nerem has for each for the above SC year comparisons is 2.

  10. Nitric oxide synthases (NOSs) are a family of enzymes that catalyze the production of nitric oxide (NO) from l-arginine. NO is an important cellular signaling molecule, having a vital role in many biological processes. It is the intercellular signal that controls vascular tone (hence blood pressure), insulin secretion, airway tone, and peristalsis and is involved in angiogenesis (growth of new blood vessels) and in the development of the nervous system. It is believed to function as a retrograde neurotransmitter and hence is likely to be important in learning. Nitric oxide signalling is mediated in mammals by the calcium/calmodulin controlled isoenzymes eNOS (endothelial NOS) and nNOS (neuronal NOS); the inducible isoform iNOS is involved in immune response, binds calmodulin at all physiologically relevant concentrations, and produces large amounts of NO as a defense mechanism. It is the proximate cause of septic shock and may play a role in many diseases with an autoimmune etiology. “Nitric Oxide Synthase" Wikipedia Web, 24 Nov 2011 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitric_oxide_synthase).

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Acknowledgments

Our grateful thanks to Dr. Robert Nerem for his extremely helpful cooperation during this study. We appreciate the support of the National Science Foundation (Award #0830207, “Measuring and Tracking Research Knowledge Integration”). We also appreciate the support of NSF (Award #s DRL0109773 and DRL0450578) in conducting the research on the Nerem tissue engineering research lab. The findings and observations contained in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. Any errors or omissions are the sole responsibility of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA

    David Roessner, Alan L. Porter, Nancy J. Nersessian & Stephen Carley

  2. 1824 Hull Avenue, Redwood City, CA, 94061, USA

    David Roessner

Authors
  1. David Roessner
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  2. Alan L. Porter
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  3. Nancy J. Nersessian
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  4. Stephen Carley
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to David Roessner.

Appendices

Appendix A

See Table 5

Table 5 Nerem journal classifications
Full size table

Appendix B

References for the three papers that put Nerem on the map early on

  1. 1.

    Nerem, R.M., & Seed, W. A. (1972). In vivo study of aortic flow disturbances. Cardiovascular Research, 6 (1), 1–14.

  2. 2.

    Nerem, R. M., Wood, N. B., & Seed, W. A. (1972). Experimental study of velocity distribution and transition to turbulence in the aorta. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 52 (14).

  3. 3.

    Caro, C. G., & Nerem, R. M. (1973). Transport of C-14-4-cholesterol between serum and wall in perfused dog common carotid-artery. Circulation Research, 32(2), 187–205.

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Roessner, D., Porter, A.L., Nersessian, N.J. et al. Validating indicators of interdisciplinarity: linking bibliometric measures to studies of engineering research labs. Scientometrics 94, 439–468 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-012-0872-9

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