Periodical Publications and Agricultural Analysis A Biblwgraphical Study KENNETH CROFT Agricultural a n d Mechanical College of Texas Library, College Station, Texas
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HAT we are concerned with here is the selection of perlod~cal sets and current periodicals that . should be available to the agricultural research worker in the field of chemistry and to the student of agricultural chemistry. It is definitely true that alarge number of research workers and a larger number of students are not aware of the vast amount of periodical literature obtainable in the fields of their particular interest. Consequently not a great deal of this material is employed in their work and studies. With this fact primarily in mind, a tabulation of periodicals used by experts in the field of agricultural chemistry is herein presented. Two methods of selecting periodicals of the greatest consequence in a certain field are prominent: (1) combining the opinions of a number of specialists in the field, and (2) employing the statistical method on a periodical recognized by leading authorities as basic. One person, even a noted authority in his field, would inevitably exhibit his prejudices and specific needs in compiling a list of journals which he considers indispensable. A selection based on the opinions of a group of specialists must be looked npon with some suspicion too, but perhaps to a lesser degree. It seems reasonable to believe that the most logical means of determining periodical selection is the statistical method, initiated by Professors P. K. L. Gross and E. M. Gross of Pomona College. This criterion eliminates bias and partiality. In considering the desirability of purchasing certain chemical journals, they tabulated the footnote references to other periodicals in a volume of the Journal of the American Chemical Society, assuming that this journal was most representative of American chemistry.' There has been some criticism $f their study, but a more reliable mode of selection has not yet been introduced. "The chief weakness of the procedure is that the final results depend npon the choice of the basic periodical or periodicals. Nevertheless the method has attracted considerable a t t e n t i ~ n . " ~Similar studies have been made for periodicals in other fields of research. In a like manner this selection was determined by computing the citations to periodical literature of other journals in the 23 volumes of the Journal of the Association of OficialAgricultural Chemists, believing that this was most representative of American agricultural chemistry. If one or more references are made to a magazine in 10 or more articles or discussions, the title appears in the table. The table given serves a dual purpose: first, i t ranks each publication according to its usage from 1915, the
1
GROSS AND GROSS, Science n. 3.. 66, 385-9 (1927). KAPLAN, College and Research Libmrier, 1,241-5 (1940).
date of the Journal of the A . 0.A. C.'s first issue, through 1940. And second, it shows the increase or decline in each journal's usage during the last ten years. After gathering these statistics, one thing in particular, which was unforeseen, becomes evident from the data. Some journals included herewith were published for a short interval only, and then ceased. It is quite likely that this sort of publication if very old may have little or no value to a research man. But yet there is a possibility that it will be of much import. Another influence is the fluctuation of the quality of the literature found in these journals. A change in policy of any of these publications may have altered their value and usefulTABLE OF USAGE
Titles
191340
Ind. Enp. Chrm.. .....,747 J. Am. Chcm. Sor.. . 448 Ind. Ens Chcm. Anal. Ed ................ ,311 J . B i d . Cham.. .......285 Cercol Chm.......... ,212 C . A , . . ............. .164* Z. off'nll. Chcm.. I64 Analyst .............. ,158 Bar 144 Z. onnl. Chem.. ...... ,123 Biochcm. J ..119 J. Am. Phorm. Assac.. .98 Ckrrn. Z,a ........... ..a9 J . Soc. C h m . Ind.. .84 Cambf. rcnd.. .*. .80 Biarhrm. z . . . ......... .79 2 . Dhysiol. Chrm ..... ..77 Z. Unlnruck. Lcbcnsm. -66 J . Chem. soc.. ........ .59 Ann. fols. ............ .57 A m . J. Pharm.. ....... .56 Ansew. Chcm.. .56 Soil Sci.. ............. .52 A"" .47 sricnce.. ............. .45 B U . roc. rhim.. .44 Arrh. Phorm.......... .42 J . Am. Lcolhn Chmm.
..... ..................
..........
.... ... ...
........ .................. ......
J . A m . Soc. Apron.. ... .42 Mill. Llbsnmm. l i r a... ..34 ~
.... ~
J . Agr. S n ' . . . . . . . ..33 Phorm. J ............. .31
Z. Wirtsrhof(sgru9Pc Zucbnind.. .30 Chcm. Zmlr ........... .29 Manolsh.. ............ .27 Londw. Vcrs.-Sla.. .... .26 I.phorm. chimic.. .... .24 Qrarl. J . Phorm. Phnrmocal.. ........ .24 Contrib. Boycc Thorn$ran I n n . . ........... .23 Am. Fnriliur.. .22 Woch. Brou.. .21 J. Dairy S d . . ......... .20 Poullry S d . . .......... .20
.........
....... .........
1931-
Titics
191.740
40
193140
J . 9mkI. Chcm........ .I9
Z . onwg: C h c n . . .......19 Am. J . S c i .............18 Ann. chim. opplicdo.. . .18 Chcm. News.. ..........l8 J . Am. Mcd. Arroc.. .. .I8 Schwris. A9olh.-Zlg.. .I8 Apolh. Zlg.. ...........I7 Phnrm. Wcckblod..... ..I7 Phorn. 2 . . ........... .I7 Am. Chrm. J ........... I 6 Ann. chim. nnol.. ......I5 J . Nuniliar.. ......... .15 B@
