The Diffusion of Citations for Individual Publications
Min Chao1,2, Ding Ying2, Li Jiang3, Sun Jianjun1
1. School of Information Management, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023; 2. School of Informatics, Computing & Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington 47408;; 3. School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027
Abstract Citation is an important connection that links scientific knowledge, providing us with a key to understanding the acquisition, communication, transformation, and innovation of knowledge. Citations are not only static statistic distributions, but also dynamic growth processes in the complex system of modern scientific communication. Considering citation as a diffusion process, this paper reconsiders the essential elements, quantification metrics, and growth mechanisms of this process from multiple approaches. The citation diffusion system involves at least these elements: time environment, time of first citation, citation peak, total citation counts, citation rate, citation lifecycle, literature network/ecosystem, and citation “takeoff”. As a diffusion unit on the micro scale, citation cascade evolves from the two dimensions of cascade virality and cascade popularity, exhibiting two typical patterns of broadcast diffusion and viral diffusion. The huge diversity of diffusion patterns stems from the underlying mechanisms that govern citation diffusion, which may include preferential attachment, aging, fitness, as well as innovation and imitation mechanisms. Further exploration of citation diffusion and its mechanisms will not only enhance our understanding of this process, but also help reveal its potential value in such scientific activities as research evaluation, scientific prediction, and scientific policy-making.
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