Indirect-collective referencing (ICR) in the elité journal literature of physics. II. A literature science study on the levél of Communications

Abstract

In the author's three previous articles dealing with the ICR phenomenon (TMT, 46, 1999, 267-274; 46, 1999, 311-321, 48, 2001, 16-27) the nature, life course, frequency and importance of this phenomenon of scientific literature was demonstrated. The present article reports the findings of the latest ICR investigation. Correlation calculations were carried out on the levél of Communications of the representa-tive journal sample of the previous investigation. Correlation calculations were carried out in the stock of all 458 Communications containing the ICR phenomenon as a statistical population, and within this population alsó in the groups of Communications of the „normál" and the Jetter" journals, and the „short Communications". The correlation analysis did not find notable statistical correlation between the simple and specific degree of documentedness of a communica-tion and the number of works cited in it by ICR act(s) either in the totál population or in the selected groups. There is no correlation either statistical or reál (i.e., cause-and-effect) between the documentedness of scientific Communications made by their authors and the presence and intensity of the ICR method used by their authors. However, in reality there exists a very strong connection between these two statistically independent variables: both depend on the referencing author, on his/her subjectivity and barely limited subjective free will. This subjective free will shapes the stock of the formal-direct references of scientific Communications, thereby piacing the achievements cited in this way and their creators into the (indexed) showcase of present Big Science. The same free will decides on the use or non-use of the ICR method, and in the case of use alsó on the intensity with which the method is used.