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Productive scientists are associated with lower disruption in scientific publishing
Heyang Li1,2, Claudio J Tessone2,3, An Zeng1
1School of Systems Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
Summary
Prioritizing publication quantity may impact research quality. Higher productivity correlates with more citations but lower paper disruption, suggesting a need for balanced scientific career planning.
Area of Science:
- Bibliometrics
- Scientometrics
- Research Evaluation
Background:
- Scientific researchers often face pressure to maximize publication output.
- This focus on quantity may divert resources from individual research depth.
- Understanding the relationship between research productivity and disruption is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of publication quantity on research quality metrics.
- To analyze the correlation between researcher productivity and paper disruption.
- To examine factors influencing paper disruption in relation to annual productivity.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of publication records and citation data.
- Quantification of paper disruption based on publication metrics.
- Correlation analysis between annual productivity and disruption levels.
Main Results:
- Increased publication numbers correlate with higher average citations per paper.
- Higher productivity in a given year is associated with lower paper disruption.
- Paper disruption is primarily influenced by annual productivity, not career total.
Conclusions:
- High publication productivity may paradoxically reduce the disruption of individual papers.
- Productive scientists tend to cite recent, high-impact research.
- Findings suggest potential risks in solely pursuing publication quantity, advocating for thoughtful career planning.
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