Of Nobel class: a citation perspective on high impact research authors

Area of Science:

• Bibliometrics
• Scientometrics
• Research Evaluation

Background:

• Nobel Prize selection is a complex, subjective process.
• Evaluating research impact and identifying top scientists is crucial for understanding scientific progress.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if quantitative rankings of highly cited authors correlate with Nobel Prize awards.
• To assess if citation frequency can predict future Nobel laureates.

Main Methods:

• Reviewed six studies on author citation rankings across different time periods and sample sizes.
• Tabulated Nobel laureates and 'laureates-to-be' identified in each study.
• Compared citation impact and productivity of Nobelists/laureates-to-be with non-Nobelists.

Main Results:

• High citation frequency rankings identify researchers of 'Nobel class'.
• A significant proportion of Nobel laureates and future laureates were found within highly cited author groups.
• Nobelists and laureates-to-be demonstrated higher average impact (citations per author) than non-Nobelists.

Conclusions:

• Quantitative citation data can effectively corroborate the Nobel Prize selection process.
• Citation-based algorithms can forecast potential Nobel laureates, offering an objective measure.
• Bibliometric analysis provides a valuable tool for identifying high-impact researchers.