Scattering of papers and articles on mechanical engineering in scietific and technical periodical

Abstract

Detailed data are presented on the scattering of papers and articles in the periodical literature of the past decade referring to five main engineering subject-fields.

It has been found that no regularity of scattering, which holds true for each subject-field, can be observed. In case of subjects being of major importance and covering a wider field, it is therefore advisable to analyse the actual amount of papers in order to define the concrete conditions of scattering. The scattering index (h) introduced is meant to indicate the average scattering of articles. If its index-figure is high, the scattering is more favourable than in the case of a low h.

In four out of the five subject-fields investigated the socalled “core journals” could be identified. The titles of these “core journals” figure in a finding-list covering the major technical libraries of Hungary.

The investigation has revealed that the scattering of the articles according to languages is also considerably high. In the subject-fields investigated, however, the “core journals” – being published in English, German, Russian and French – are accessible in world-wide languages for retrieving and studying the most important literature. When investigating highly specialized subject-fields, papers published in any other language might also be of importance.

The tendencies of scattering as hare been shown by the examined subject-fields may well be utilized both in information work and research.