A cocitation map of the social indicators movement

Abstract

Author cocitations form the base of a general technique of bibliogrpahic retrieval and of mapping the strucutre of literatures. The technique was used here in a largescale retrieval of the Social Indicators (SI) literature and a computerized mapping, through multidimensional scaling and clustering, of key SI contributors as perceived by citers during 1972‐1980. Clusters of points on the map are interpreted as authors similar in perceived subject matter and style of work; other interpretable features also eemerge. The map conforms well with independent reviews of the SI literature, actually illustrating some of the judgments they contain. It is suggested that such mappings may become a stimulus and complement to literature reviews in the future. Copyright © 1983 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company