The True Impact of Evolutionary Papers in Non-Evolutionary Journals
Author Information
Author(s): Erik Postma
Primary Institution: University of New South Wales
Hypothesis
What is the true impact of evolutionary papers in non-evolutionary journals?
Conclusion
The impact of evolutionary papers in multidisciplinary journals is often overestimated, while their impact in specialized journals is frequently underestimated.
Supporting Evidence
- The impact of evolutionary papers in multidisciplinary journals is typically 15 to 30% lower than the average paper in those journals.
- Evolutionary papers in specialized journals can have an impact up to 40% higher than the average.
- Overall journal impact factors do not accurately reflect the impact of evolutionary papers.
Takeaway
This study looks at how well evolutionary papers do in different types of journals, showing that some journals might make these papers seem more important than they really are.
Methodology
The study analyzed the impact of evolutionary papers across various journals by comparing their citation rates to overall journal impact factors.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in the classification of journals and the selection of keywords for identifying evolutionary papers.
Limitations
The study is limited to papers published between 1996 and 2005 and may not account for all factors influencing journal impact.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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