J. Chem. Inf. Comput. Sci. 1993, 33, 164-173
164
Image of Analytical Chemistry As Reflected in the Analytical Abstracts Database: Journal Coverage, Concentration, and Dispersion of the Analytical Literature T. Braun,'~f~* W. Gllnzel,* Hajnalka Maczelka,* and S.Zsindelyr Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, L. E6tvb University, P.O.Box 123, 1443 Budapest, Hungary, and Information Science and Scientometrics Research Unit, Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary Received August 3 1, 1992 Analytical Abstracts, a publication of the Royal Society of Chemistry, has been studied to determine how well it reflects the field of analytical chemistry. Its coverage is generally good, although one shortcoming was noted. Analytical Abstracts provides less than complete coverage of 'titled" journals in analytical chemistry, i.e., those journals whose title includes 'analytical chemistry" of the name of a subfield. INTRODUCTION Over 300 years ago, scientists found that keeping up with one another's current work had become too great a burden to handle by word of mouth and correspondence. As a result, the scientific paper was formalized and distributed by means of scientific journals, the first of these having been founded in 1665. Since that time, the number of scientific papers and the number of scientific journals have increased steadily and exponentially.'.* No longer could individual scientists rely on their own faculties to keep abreast of their field. As science grew and proliferated, so too did its record, and as a consequencea need arose for a methodological device to provide bibliographical control. The abstract journals were born to satisfy these needs. Nowadays, most printed abstract journals are being stored also on magnetic tapes and/or CD-ROM discs and made available for computer-aided information retrieval. The considerablecosts of this manner of literature storage and searching oblige the searcher to use these tools as efficiently as possible. Therefore, a thorough knowledge of the contents of the abstract journals/databases which are available and the manner in which their content is made accessible is compulsory. In the field of analytical chemistry, the unique, specialized abstract journal/database worldwide is the Analytical Abstracts (AA), founded in 1954 and published since then regularly by the Royal Society of Chemistry in L o n d ~ nAs ,~ stated in its subtitle, AA is 'a monthly journal with worldwide coverage of the literature on all branches of analytical chemistry". The 'Guide to AA" printed in each issue of the journal further mentions that "AnalyticalAbstracts is a journal providing a complete current awareness service covering all aspects of analytical chemistry. Over 400 core analytical journals are scanned regularly and items are seelcted from over 1500otherjoumalsas well as books,technical proceedings. All items of interest to an analytical chemist are included except theoretical studies, biological or microbiological analysis, or structure determination^".^ As far as the present authors know, there is no detailed statistical evaluation available on the journal coverage aspects of the Analytical Abstracts database. That's why the present study is dedicated to such an evaluation for the 1980-1989 period. Additionally, the dispersion, respectively, the concentration of the journal literature of analytical chemistry in +
L. M t v h University. of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
1 Library
0095-2338/93/1633-0164504.00/0
14 '-
"
i
I
1 9 8 0 ' 1 9 8 1 '1982'1985'1984'1985'1986'1987'1988'1989
Figure 1. Time series of papers processed by the AA database.
the AA database is also investigated, and some measurements, to answer the crucially important question on how truea mirror of the analytical literature the Analytical Abstracts database is, are also performed. METHODOLOGY For the purpose of this analysis, two main data sources were utilized: the Analytical Abstracts database (on CD-ROM discs), for the period 1980-1989 the Science Citation Index database (on CD-ROM discs) for the period 198G1989 In all our investigations, only journal papers were taken into account. For the 10-year period examined, this meant a total of 119 125 articles processed, which represented 94% of the total items included in the AA database. The remaining 6% are books, reports, etc. RESULTS Figure 1 illustrates the time series of the article coverage in the AA database during the 1980-1989 period. As shown, there is no direct link between the growth of the analytical literature in periodicals and the coveragein AA, since probably administrative and funding considerations preclude proportionate growth. Indeed, the total articles coverage in AA has shown a very modest growth from 11 507 in 1980 to 12 566 in 1989. 0 1993 American Chemical Society
J. Chem. InJ Comput. Sci., Vol. 33, No. 1, 1993 165
ANALYTICAL ABSTRACTSDATABASE 4000 1
1
OX
0
10 20
30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 IS0 140 150
Journal rank
Figure 3. Rank-productivity distribution of journals in the AA database (see also Table 11).
3500
2
-
3000-
0
E
8 2500-
3 2000
*
t 21000
500 0
00 00-82 01-03 02-04 03-05 04-06 05-07 86-00 07-89 Year
Figure 2. Moving average data on the articles processed in the nine sections of the AA database. A, general analytical chemistry; B, inorganic chemistry; C, organic chemistry; D, biochemistry; E, pharmaceutical chemistry; F, food; G, agriculture;H, environmental chemistry; J, apparatus and techniques.
Thus, there is no direct way to know from AA to what degree total journal publications in the area of analytical chemistry have increased in absolute terms. However, we could presume that items in Analytical Abstracts do accurately reflect the makeup of the analytical journal literature as a whole. That is, that Analytical Abstracts randomly includes analytical chemistry journal references without bias. It could also be presumed that growth or decay trends may be readily analyzed by determining the percentage shares of journal articles in Analytical Abstracts relating to a particular topic. According to this general approach, one may use Analytical Abstracts to gauge the relative growth or decay trends of analytical chemistry subfields and topics within the analytical literature. How correct the above-mentioned presumptions are will be examined during an analysis of the journal coverage and inclusion rates of papers from different journals into the AA database. However, as visible in Figure 2, the abovementioned presumptions were not fulfilled in the case of the broad sections of the database. The 3-year moving average data on the number of journal papers and percentages shares in the nine sections of AA show a pattern very similar to that in Figure 1,which implies that in this case either proportionate growth or decline is impossible to be traced. During the 10-year period investigated, the AA database extracted articles from a total of 3568 journals. The rankfrequency distribution of papers in the first 150 journals is presented in Figure 3. As shown, the distribution is very
Figure 4. Bradford graph of rank-productivity distribution ofjoumals in the AA database (see also Table I).
skewed with about 78% of total journal articles processed by the AA database concentrated in a mere 4% of the journals. As the total articles and journals data spanned over several orders of magnitude, it was easier to display data on semilogarithmic coordinates. Thus, the cumulative number of journal articles processed by the database has been plotted against the logarithm of the journal's rank as visible in Figure 4. This type of graph is sometimes referred to as the Bradford graph reflecting Bradford's law of literature scatter or di~persion.~ Bradford's law4 is well-known and widely used in the information sciences for ranking a set of journals and for determining core journals lists. If Bradford's law is followed for the corpus of the literature, the curve has the classic S-shape, as shown in Figure 4. The core is made up of those journals on the initial part of the curve, up to the point it becomes linear (B in Figure 4). A substantial number of papers on Bradford's law have appeared in the literature, including some presenting alternative formulationsand others discussing the meaning of the departure from linearity at the upper end of the curve? In fact, Bradford's law is one of several statistical laws which try to describe the working mechanism of science by mathematical means. It tends to demonstrate that a few (journals) account for themany (articles). In practical terms, this means that there are diminishing returns in trying to do anything exhaustively. For the sake of the present study, we will take a simplified view and consider that the first upward curved part of the Bradford graph in Figure 4 represents the concentration and
166 J. Chem. Inf. Comput. Sci., Vol. 33, No. 1, 1993 Table 1. Bradford Rankina of Analytical Chemistry Journals no. of papers in AA database rank journal 1 J . Chromatogr. 12144 2 5641 Anal. Chem. 4109 3 Clin. Chem. ( Winston-Salem, N O 4 3816 Anal. Chim. Acta 3173 Anal. Biochem. 5 3141 6 Zh. Anal. Khim. 7 2924 Fresenius’ Z . Anal. Chem. Analyst (London) 2625 8 2044 9 Bunseki Kagaku 2033 Fenxi Huaxue 10 1923 J. Assoc. Off. Anal. Chem. 11 Talanta 1709 12 1538 13 J . Liq. Chromatogr. 1464 14 Zavod. Lab. 1405 15 Anal. Lett. 1310 16 Chromatographia 17 1228 Clin. Chim. Acta 1214 18 HRC&CC 1 I27 J . Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. 19 Mikrochim. Acta 951 20 913 Appl. Spectrosc. 21 857 Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res 22 J . Chromatogr. Sci. 848 23 Chem. Anal. (Warsaw) 809 24 Microchem. J. 806 25 774 26 Anal. Proc. (London) 758 27 Spectrochim. Acta 716 28 Fenxi Shiyanshi 617 J . Pharm. Sci. 29 Analusis 604 30 598 31 J . Anal. Toxicol. J . Radioanal. Chem. 596 32 J . Agric. Food Chem. 59I 33 34 J . Pharm. Biomed. Anal. 576 35 565 Ann. Clin. Biochem. 532 Yaowu Fenxi Zazhi 36 J . Clin. Chem. Clin. Biochem. 516 37 Anal. Sci. 508 38 J . Anal. At. Spectrom. 39 506 2. Lebensm. Unters. Forsch . 50I 40 1nt. Lab. 482 41 469 42 Indian Drugs 455 Int. J . Environ. Anal. Chem. 43 448 44 Lihua Jianyan 428 Chem. Pharm. Bull. 45 J . Indian Chem. SOC. 40 1 46 47 Farmatsiya (Moscow) 390 388 48 Huaxue Shiji 376 At. Spectrosc. 49 373 50 J . Immunol. Methods Khim. Prom-st. 372 51 TrAC 364 52 361 Chem. Lisry 53 360 Gig. Sanit. 54 Ther. Drug Monit. 358 55 346 Pharmazie 56 337 Biomed. Mass Spectrom. 57 58 33 1 Lab. Pract. 317 59 GIT Fachz. Lab. 316 Bull. Chem. SOC.Jpn. 60 61 314 Indian J . Chem. 62 309 Biomed. Environ. Mass Spectrom. 305 Electrophoresis ( Weinheim) 63 294 64 An. Quim. 65 285 Rev. Chim. (Bucharest) 66 277 X-ray Spectrom. 67 277 Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J . Sepu 272 68 69 Farm. Zh. (Kiev) 265 70 Eisei Kagaku 253 71 Nippon Kagaku Kaishi 246 72 Yankuang Ceshi 245 73 JAOCS 238 74 238 Chemosphere 75 235 Radiochem. Radioanal. Lett. 76 235 Shoku hin Eiseiga ku Zass hi 77 Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. 232
BRAUNET AL. ~~
total no. of papers (in SCI) 13799 7205 6859 4321 5844 0 3436 2820 2086 0 2471 21 12 1932 0 1630 1789 3387 0 2590 1232 1920 14813 992 923 941 0 3157 0 3436 787 755 904 3188 492 989 0 1 IO8 0 530 1022 0 0 680 0 7443 2473 0 0 61 3505 0 466 952 0 81 1 3189 646 0 0 8347 7620 637 874 2077 0 386 1449
no. of papers
not processed by AA 1655 1564 2750 505 2671
~~~
% of papers
not processed by AA 12.0 21.7 40.1 11.7 45.7
512 195 42
14.9 6.9 2.0
548 403 394
22.2 19.1 20.4
225 479 2159
13.8 26.8 63.7
1463 281 1007 13956 144 1 I4 141
56.5 22.8 52.4 94.2 14.5 12.4 14.9
2399
76.0
2819 183 157 308 2597
82.0 23.3 20.8 34.1 81.5
424
42.9
592
53.4
24 521
4.5 51.0
225
33.1
7015 2072
94.2 83.8
3132
89.4
102
591
21.9 62.1
453 2843 309
55.9 89.2 47.8
8031 7306 328 569 1783
96.2 95.9 51.5 65.1 85.8
109 1172
28.2 80.9
3230
92.9
1794 1877 559
88.3 88.7 70.4
810
77.7
0 0 0
3476 0 2032 2115 794 0
I042
J . Chem. In& Comput. Sci., Vol. 33, No. 1, 1993 167
ANALYTICAL ABSTRACTS DATABASE Table I (Continued) rank
journal
no. of papers in AA database
total no. of papers (in SCI)
78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150
J. Autom. Chem. Fen Hsi Hua Hsueh Enuiron. Sci. Technol. Guangpuxue Yu Guangpu Fenxi J . Food Sci. Ukr. Khim. Zh. (Russ. Ed.) J. Electroanal. Chem. Interfacial Electrochem. Dtsch Lebensm Rundsch Bull. Enuiron. Coniam. Toxicol. Int. J. Appl. Radiat. hot. Ann. Chim. (Rome) Zeniralbl. Pharm. Yakugaku Zasshi Cesk. Farm. LC-GC Afinidad J . Sci. Food Agric. J . Lipid Res. Clin. Biochem. (Ottawa) J . Inst. Chem. (India) Lipids Atmos. Enuiron. Yaoxue Xuebao Quim. Anal. (Barcelona) Collect. Czech. Chem. Commun. Huaxue Tongbao Int. J . Mass Spectrom. Ion Phys. Zh. Prikl. Spektrosk. Yaoxue Tongbao Agric. Biol. Chem. Spectrosc. Lett. Magy. Kgm. Foly. Bunseki Lebensmittelchem. Gerichtl. Chem. Vysokochist. Veshchestva Spectra 2000 SIA Acta Pol. Pharm. Khim. Farm. Zh. Izv. Vyssh. Uchebn.Zaued. Forensic Sci. Int. Pure Appl. Chem. J . Forensic Sci. 2.Chem. Riv. Nal. Sostanze Grasse Sep. Sci. Technol. J . Planar Chromatogr. Mod. TLC Mitt. Geb. Lebensmittelunters. Hyg. Biochem. Soc. Trans. Isotopenpraxis Appl. Radiat. Isot. Chem. Lett. Farmaco J . Steroid Biochem. Rocz. Panstw. Zakl. Hig. Chem. Prum. Water Res. J . Biochem. Biophys. Methods J . Pharm. Pharmacol. Nahrung Huaxue Xuebao Radiokhimiya Latv. PSR Zinat. Akad. Vestis Indian J. Pharm. Sci. Pharm. Weekbl. Farm. Pol. Biomed. Chromatogr. Org. Mass Spectrom. Sci. Total Enuiron. Laborpraxis Arzneim. Forsch. J . Inst. Brew. Fuel
232 223 222 219 218 216 215 214 206 200 194 193 191 190 188 182 181 181 180 180 180 179 173 171 170 170 169 169 167 166 165 161 161 160 159 159 157 157 154 153 153 151 146 146 145 141 140 140 139 138 136 134 131 131 127 127 126 126 125 125 122 121 121 117 115 115 115 112 110 108 105 104 103
240 0 2184 0 4740 3305 4862 456 2653 1161 617 0 1575 0 138 489 1722 1636 673 0 1676 2701 0 0 341 1 0 1940 0 0 5743 818 994 0 0 0 0 0 509 3393 0 47 1 1855 336 2576 0 960 0 0 1341 1029 697 5728 75 3076 0 0 206 1 619 2483 1249 0 0 0 0 424 0
.
.
.
that the last downward curved part shows the dispersion of the literature of analytical chemistry as included into the AA database. Table I presents a ranked list of journals as
no. of papers not processed by AA
7 ' 0 of papers not processed by AA
8
3.3
1962
89.8
4522 3089 4647 242 2447 961 423
95.4 93.5 95.6 53.1 92.2 82.8 68.6
1384
87.9
307 1541 1455 493
62.8 89.5 88.9 73.3
1496 2522
89.3 93.4
3241
95.0
1771
91.3
5577 653 833
97.1 79.8 83.8
352 3239
69.2 95.5
318 1704 190 2430
67.5 91.9 56.5 94.3
819
85.3
1202 891 56 1 5594
89.6 86.6 80.5 97.7
2945
95.7
1935 493 2358 1124
93.9 79.6 95.0 90.0
309
12.9
2439 1865
95.6 94.4
3784 399 2719
97.3 79.3 96.4
50
2551 1975 0 3889 503 2822
represented in Figure 3 and in the first part of Figure 4. Although Bradford's law has often been successfully used in the constructionof corejournal lists,Sit has the shortcoming
168 J . Chem. If. Comput. Sci., Vol. 33, No. 1, 1993
BRAUNET AL.
Table 11. Percentage Ranking of Analytical Chemistry Journals rank
journal
1
Bunseki Kagaku J. Autom. Chem. J. Anal. At. Spectrom. Analyst (London) Anal. Chim. Acta J. Chromatogr. Chem. Anal. (Warsaw) Anal. Lett. J . Chromatogr. Sci. Microchem. J. Fresenius’ Z . Anal. Chem. Talanta J . Liq. Chromatogr. J . Anal. Toxicol. Anal. Chem. TrAC J . Assoc. Off.Anal. Chem. Mikrochim. Acta Analusis Chromatographia X-ray Spectrom. Int. J . Enuiron. Anal. Chem. J . Radioanal. Chem. Clin. Chem. ( Winston-Salem, NC) Ann. Clin. Biochem. Anal. Biochem. Biomed. Mass Spectrom. Z. Lebensm. Unters. Forsch. Biomed. Enuiron. Mass Spectrom. Appl. Spectrosc. Dtsch. Lebensm. Rundsch. J. Clin. Chem. Clin. Biochem. Ther. Drug Monit. J . Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. J . Forensic Sci. Chem. List,y Ajinidad Clin. Chim. Acta Electrophoresis ( Weinheim) Forensic Sci. Int. Ann. Chim. (Rome) Acta Pol. Pharm. Radiochem. Radioanal. Lett. Pharm. Weekbl. Clin. Biochem. (Ottawa) Spectrochim. Acta Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. J . Insr. Brew. J . Biochem. Biophys. Methods Spectrosc. Lett. Appl. Radiat. Isot. Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J. J . Agric. Food Chem. J. Pharm. Sci. Int. J . Appl. Radiat. Isot. J . Indian Chem. SOC. Magy. Kbm.Foly. Sep. Sci. Technol. An. Quim. lsotopenpraxis Yakugaku Zasshi JAOCS Chemosphere J . Lipid Res. Pharmazie Lipids J . Immunol. Methods J . Sci. Food Agric. Biochem. SOC.Trans. Enuiron. Sci. Technol. Nahrung Int. J. Mass Spectrom.-Ion Phys. Pure Appl. Chem. Bull. Enuiron. Contam. Toxicol. Nippon Kagaku Kaishi Atmos. Enuiron. Ukr. Khim. Zh. (Russ. Ed.) Water Res.
2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10
II 12 13 14
I5 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55
56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78
total no. of papers (in SCI) 2086 240 530 2820 432 1 13799 923 1630 992 947 3436 21 12 1932 755 7205 466 2471 1232 787 1789 386 680 904 6859 989 5844 646 1022 637 1920 456 1 IO8 81 1 2590 336 952 489 3387 874 47 1 617 509 794 424 673 3157 1042 503 619 818 697 1449 3188 3436 1161 2473 994 960 2077 1029 1575 2032 2115 1636 3189 1676 3505 1722 1341 2184 1249 I940 1855 2653 3476 2701 3305 206 1
no. of papers in AA
% of article-s in AA
2044 232 506 2625 3816 12144 809 1405 848 806 2924 1709 1538 598 5641 364 1923 95 1 604 1310 277 455 596 4109 565 3173 337 501 309 913 214 516 358 1127 146 36 1 182 1228 305 153 194 157 235
98.0 96.7 95.5 93.1 88.3 88.0 87.6 86.2 85.5 85.1 85.1 80.9 79.6 79.2 78.3 78.1 77.8 77.2 76.7 73.2 71.8 66.9 65.9 59.9 57.1 54.3 52.2 49.0 48.5 47.6 46.9 46.6 44.1 43.5 43.5 37.9 37.2 36.3 34.9 32.5 31.4 30.8 29.6 27.1 26.7 24.0 22.3 20.7 20.4 20.2 19.5 19.1 18.5 18.0 17.2 16.2 16.2 14.7 14.2 13.4 12.1 11.7 11.3
115
180 758 232 104 126 165 136 277 59 1 617 200 40 1 161 141 294 138 191 238 238 181 346 180 373 181 139 222 125 169 151
206 246 179 216 126
11.1
10.8 10.7 10.6 10.5 10.4
10.2 10.0 8.7 8.1 7.8 7.1 6.6 6.5 6.1
Bradford rank 9 78 39 8 4 1
24 15 23 25 7 12 13 31 2 52 11
20 30 16 66 43 32 3 35 5
57 40 62 21 85 37 55 19 120 53 93 17 63 118 88 115 75 142 96 27 77 149 135 108 128 67 33 29 87 46 109 123 64 127 90 73 74 95 56
98 50 94 126 80 137 104 119 86 71 99 83 134
ANALYTICAL ABSTRACTSDATABASE TI&
J. Chem. Inf. Comput. Sci., Vol. 33, No. 1, 1993 169
I1 (Continued)
rank
journal
79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150
Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Chem. Pharm. Bull. 2.Chem. Sci. Total Enoiron. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. Collect. Czech. Chem. Commun. J. Food Sci. Khim. Farm. Zh. J. Electroanal. Chem. Interfacial Electrochem. Org. Mass Spectrom. J. Steroid Blochem. Indian J . Chem. Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn. Fuel Agric. Bioi. Chem. Arzneim. Forsch. Chem. Lett. J. Pharm. Biomed. AMI. LC-GC Farmaco At. Spectrosc. Biomed. Chromatogr. Guangpuxue Yu Guangpu-Fenxi Huaxue Tongbao Riv. Ital. Sostanze Grasse Farm. Zh. (Kiev) Yankuang Ceshi Rocz. Panstw. Zakl. Hig. Chem. Prum. Yaoxue Xuebao Fenxi Huaxue Fenxi Shiyanshi Mitt. Geb. Lebensmittelunters. Hyg. J. Planar Chromatogr. Mod.TLC GIT Fachz. Lab. Yaowu Fenxi Zazhi Eisei Kagaku Labor Praxis Latv. PSR Zinat. Akad. Vestis V ysokochist Veshchestva lzv. Vyssh. Uchebn. Zwed. Indian J. Pharm. Sci. HRCBCC Sepu Lab. Pract. Quim. AMI. (Barcelona) Zentralbl. Pharm. Radiokhimiya Farm. Pol. Lihua Jianyan Yaoxue Tongbao Bunseki Anal. Sei. Indian Drugs Cesk. Farm. Int. Lab. Zh. Prikl. Spektrosk. Anal. Proc. (London) Farmatsiya (Moscow) J. Inst. Chem. (India) Huaxue Shiji Gig. Sanit. Zavod. Lab. Fen Hsi Hua Hsueh Lebensmittelchem. Gerichtl. Chem. Zh. Anal. Khim. Shokuhin Eiseigaku Zasshi Khim. Prom-st. Huaxue Xuebao Rev. Chim. (Bucharest) Spectra 2000 SIA
total no. of papers (in SCI) no. of papers in AA 14813 7443 2576 1975 2483 341 1 4740 3393 4862 2551 3076 7620 8347 2822 5743 3889 5728 492 138 75 61
.
that it favors joumals with a large number of papers because it is based on an absolute number of relevant articles. Journals publishing a large number of papers, therefore, tend to rank higher on lists arranged according to Bradford’s ranking.
50 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0
0 0 0 0
857 428 146 110 125 170 218 154 215 112 131 314 316 103 166 105 134 576 188 131 376 115 219 170 145 265 245 127 127 173 2033 716 140 140 317 532 253 108 121 159 153 117 1214 272 33 1 171 193 121 115 448 167 161 508 469 190 482 169 774 390 180 388 360 1464 223 160 3141 235 372 122 285 159 157
96 of articles in AA
Bradford rank
5.8 5.8 5.7 5.6
22 45 121 146 136 102 82 116 84 145 131 61 60 150 107 148 129 34 92 130 49 144 81 103 122 69 72 132 133 100 10 28 125 124 59 36 70 147 140 112 117 141 18 68 58 101 89 139 143 44 106 110 38 42 91 41 105 26 47 97 48 54 14 79 111 6 76 51 138 65 113 114
5.0 5.0
4.6 4.5 4.4 4.4 4.3 4.1 3.8 3.6 2.9 2.7 2.3
As mentioned, one reason for our applying Bradford’sgraph to the body of analytical literature is to determine the core analytical chemistry joumals. It is, therefore, appropriate to consider briefly the definition of such a journal. A core
170 J . Chem. Inf. Comput. Sci., Vol. 33, No. I , 1993 Table 111. Journals in the Tail of the Distribution no. of articles total no. included in no. of of articles AA (1980-1989) journals (1980-1989) ~
1
2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
total
1371 490 319 187 141 93 66 67 48 40
1371 980 951 748 705 558 462 635 432 400
2822
7149
analytical journal is usually considered to be one central to analytical chemistry. Journals publishing a large number of analytical papers are, therefore, included in this definition and belong to the core. Bradford rankings, depending on numbers of papers, tend to exclude smaller analytical journals from the core. However,journals devoting their major portion to analytical chemistry, even though they be smaller, also belong to the core. One way to overcome the bias toward large journals is to rank the journals according to the percentage of their contents6 that is relevant to analytical chemistry. Since percentage is a size-independent measure, it is possible for smaller but analytically significant journals to be included in the core. Table I1 is an example of the use of percentage distribution. It lists analytical chemistry journals included in the AA database ranked by percentage of papers on analytical chemistry. The table shows the number of papers from the journals included into the database beside the total number of papers published in the respectivejournal. This later number has been extracted for each journal from the Science Citation Index (SCI) database which, as known, includes the contents of refereed journals cover-to-cover. The table also shows the rank of the journal according to Bradford’s graph. Let us now concentrate on the tail of the distribution of journals included in the AAdatabase (see Figure4). As shown in Table 111,there are 1371journals, thedatabase has processed only one article between 1980 and 1989, 490 journals contributed two papers during the same period, 3 19 journals gave three papers, and so on. This means that at the upper end (tail) of the Bradford distribution 79% of the total number of journals processed by the AA database contributed only 6% of the total processed articles. DISCUSSION Table IV shows a ranked list of 19 journals holding “analytical chemistry” or the name of an analytical subfield in the title. This means that these journals are totally and exclusively dedicated to the publication of papers reporting original results on analytical chemistry. All of them are peerreviewed journals. Some of them can be considered the best in the field by any measure of quality and significance. We suggest the expression “titled” analytical chemsitry journals to characterize these journals. However, as shown in Table IV, a substantial number of papers in “titled” journals were not processed by the AA database during the investigated 10-year period. The figures in Table IV indicate that the amount of excluded items represents about 19% of the total of papers the 19“titled” analytical chemistryjournals published during 1980-1989. Wewereinterested indetailson thequality of the above-mentioned 10 142 papers not processed by AA during the 1980-1989 period. Quality being a commodity
BRAUN ET AL. hard to define, we considered that the citation rate of those papers reflecting their impact could be used as a proxy to their quality. It is known’ that if a paper is multiply cited, it can be considered that the content has had an impact on the citing authors. We have made a computer search in the SCI database of the citation rate of the 10 142 nonprocessed articles. As a “significant” value, we considered a citation rate which exceeded five times the average citation of all papers in the journal in question. As a citation period, we always considered the time lapsing from the year of publication of the respective papers to 1989. Table V presents the results. As shown, a substantial number (285) of high-impact papers published in the 19 “titled” analytical chemistry journals were not included in by the AA database during the 1980-1989 period. Table VI presents the complete bibliographic data of the five highest impact papers published in thejournals fromTable IV but not processed by the AA database. As their titles indicate, all of them are analytical chemistry papers of fundamental significance, with their omission from the AA database hard to justify. In the introduction of this paper we have already mentioned that the “Guide to AA” states that “Analytical Abstracts is a journal providing a complete current awareness service covering all aspects of analytical chemistry. Over 400 core analytical journals are scanned regularly .... All items of interest to an analytical chemist are included except theoretical studies, biological or microbiological analysis, or structure determination^".^ Let us now examine how far our data presented in Figures 1-4 and Tables I-VI are fitting these statements. Taking into account the list of journals in Figure 4, the topical coverage of the different subfields and aspects of analytical chemistry in the AA database can be considered really complete. This is, however, less true as far as coverage by quantity of the analytical chemistry journal literature the world produces is concerned. As table IV indicates, about 19% of the papers published in the “titled” analytical journals are excluded from the AA database. Some omissions could perhaps be understood on the basis of the statements in the “Guide to AA” as e.g., 45.7% of the papers published by Analytical Biochemistry being not processed. But 21-7%of the papers omitted from the unanimously accepted world’s best analytical journal (Analytical Chemistry) is hard to explain. The same stands for Talanta (19.1%), Analytical Chimica Acta (1 1.7%), Analytical Lefters (1 3.8%), TrAC (21.9%), etc. Chromatography, one of the most important subfields of analytical chemistry is especially hardly hit by exclusions (pretty high percentages from Journal of Chromatography, Chromatographia, Journal of Chromatographic Sciences, etc.), but environmental analysis (International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry) is also no exception. The inclusion and, respectively,exclusionof papers from national analytical chemistry journals is also very different. Japan seems privileged (with only 2% omitted from BunsekiKagaku),but France (23.3% omitted from Analusis) and Poland (1 2.4% left out from Chemiczna Analyticzna) appear less favored. Glancing at the Bradford graph in Figure 4 (especially at its tail) and at Tables I11 and IV, we see that compared to the 10 142 papers left out from 19 “titled” analytical journals (Table IV), the AA database includes 7 149 papers dispersed in 2822 journals of only marginal analytical importance (how much analytical importance can a journal have publishing one analytical-oriented paper during a 10year period? The database has processed 1371 suchjournals). Another question is how the core list of analytical journals is
ANALYTlCAL
J. Chem. In5 Comput. Sci., Vol. 33, No. 1 , 1993 171
AESTRACTS DATABASE
Tabk IV. Ranking of 'Titled" Analytical Chemistry Journals'
rank
journal
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
J . Chromatogr. Anal. Chem. Anal. Chim. Acta Anal. Biochem. Fresenius' Z . Anal. Chem. Analyst (London) Bunseki Kagaku J . Assoc. Off. Anal. Chem. Talanta J . Liq. Chromatogr. Anal. Lett. Chromatographia J . Chromatogr. Sci. Chem. Anal. (Warsaw) Analusis J . Anal. Toxicol. J . Anal. At. Spectrom. Int. J . Environ. Anal. Chem. TrAC total
no. of articles not processed by AA
9% of articles not processed
no. of articles in AA
no. of articles total published (SCI database)
12144 5641 3816 3173 2924 2625 2044 1923 1709 1538 1405 1310 848 809 604 598 506 455 364
13799 7205 4321 5844 3436 2820 2086 247 1 2112 1932 1630 1189 992 923 187 155 530 680 466
1655 1564 505 267 1 512 195 42 548 403 394 225 479 144 114 183 157 24 225 102
12.0 21.7 11.7 45.7 14.9 6.9 2.0 22.7 19.1 20.4 13.8 26.9 14.5 12.4 23.3 20.9 4.5 33.1 21.9
44456
54578
10142
18.6
* "Titled" analytical chemistry journals not processed by the SCI database (e.g., Fenxi Huaxue; Zhurnal Anal. Khim.) are not included here. Table V. High-Impact Analytical Chemistry Papers Not Processed
by Analytical Abstracts Database total no. of articles not processed by the AA database
no. of high-impact articles not processed by the AA database
journal
(1980-1989)
(1 980-1 989)
Anal. Lett. Analyst Anal. Biochem. Anal. Chem. Anal. Chim. Acta Chromatographio J . Liq. Chromatogr. Talanta Fresenius' J . Anal. Chem. J . Chromatogr. total
225 195 267 1 1564 505 479 394 403 512 1655 8603
1 6 48 28 8 6
5 6 1 176 285
defined. The "Guide to AA" mentions 400 analytical core journals, but no definition of what is meant by a core journal and no lists are given. The data in the present study show that there are at least four different ways to define a core journal list: 1. According to Bradford's graph (Figure 4). The strictly Bradfordian list of core analytical journals (up to point B on the graph) would contain only five journals (the top five ones in Table I). 2. According to percentage distribution6 as shown in Table I1 and putting the threshold of inclusion in thecoreat 50%. This would mean 27 journals (Table 11). 3. Consideringthat core analyticaljournals are those publishing about 75% of the world's analytical literature. According to Figure 3 and Table I, there are about 150 such journals (see Table I). 4. Consideringthat core analyticaljournals are those ones having "analytical chemistry" or the name of one of the analytical subfields in their title (see Table IV) . Of course, there is considerable overlapping between the above-mentioned definitions, and the decision on which one to accept is an open question. Trying to outline and encompass the literature of analytical chemistry leads inevitably to the need to define the field itself.
That is why we have tried to find out how analytical chemistry as a science field, i.e., its object, preoccupations, aims, and goals, is defined in the literature. As frequently a differentiation between analytical chemistry and chemical analysis is made, the same dichotomy is followed here with the definitions presented in Tables VI1 and VIII. Let us accentuate that the list of definitions outlined in Tables VI1 and VI11 is not exhaustive and that the only aim of the selections presented is to demonstrate the diversity, complexity, and multidimensionality of the different a p proaches. It is our feeling that based on any of thosedefinitions or on any combination of them, even more, based on any other definition availablebut not mentioned in Tables VI1 and VIII, it is impossible to base a database inclusion-exclusion policy on it. That is why we think that for such a policy at least one basic policy component could rely on a very simple definition as follows: "Analytical chemistry is basically the knowledge included in peer-reviewed primary journals having analytical chemistry or the name of a subfield of analytical chemistry in their title" (Le., "titled" analyticaljournals). It isconsidered that there is no more competent gremium for evaluating what belongs to the field of analytical chemistry and what does not belong to it than the editorial advisoryboards which are keeping the gates* of the above-mentioned journals. Of course, the coverage of analytical chemistry extends by far farther than the journals having the words "analytical chemistry" in their title, as nicely stated by Bradford's law, i.e., articles of interest to specialists must occur not only in periodicals specializing in their subject but also, from time to time, in other periodicals which grow in number as the relation of their field to that of their subject lessens and the number of articles on their subject diminishes. But the contents of "titled" analytical journals belong without a doubt cover-tocover (as far as their articles, notes, short communications, letters to the editor, and reviews are concerned) to the inner circle of basic analytical knowledge and would have to be included without omissions into the AA database. CONCLUSIONS
Our analysis has shown that the Analytical Abstract database is in general terms a correct reflection of the field of analyticalchemistry as far as topical coverageand processed journal comprehensiveness is concerned. Some slight dis-
172 J . Chem. In& Comput. Sci., Vol. 33, No. 1, 1993
BRAUNET AL.
Table VI. Bibliographic Data of Highly Cited Articles Omitted from the AA Database:‘ Selected Examples from ‘Titled” Analytical Journals title Investiaations on Atomization Mechanisms of Volatile Hy&ide-Forming Elements in a Heated Quartz Cell. 1. Gas-Phase and Surface Effects-Decomposition and Atomization of Arsine Fibre-Optic pH Probe Based on the Use of an Immobilized Colorimetric Indicator Standardized Thin-Layer Chromatographic Systems for the Identification of Drugs and Poisons-A Review An Echelle Monochromator System for the Measurement of Sensitive Carbon Furnace Atomic-Emission Signals Rapid Flow-Analysis with Inductively Coupled Plasma AtomicEmission Spectroscopy Using a Micro-Injection Technique Catalysis of Electrode Processes by Multiply-Charged MetalComplexes Electrostatically Bound to Poly-Electrolyte Coatings on Graphite-Electrodes, and the Use of PolymerCoated Radiating-Disk Electrodes in Diagnosing Kinetic and Conduction Mechanisms Equations for Calculation of Chromatographic Figures of Merit for Ideal and Skewed Peaks Electrochemical Pretreatment of Glassy-Carbon Electrodes Principles of Environmental-Analysis Pulse Voltammetry with Microvoltammetric Electrodes Axial-Dispersion and Flow Phenomena in Helically Coile Tubular Reactors for Flow-Analysis and Chromatography Some Theoretical Aspects of Flow-Injection Analysis Theoretical Considerations on the Performance of Electrochemical Flow-Through Detectors Membrane Separation in Flow-Injection Analysis-Gas-Diffusion An Examination of Chemically-Modified Silica Surfaces Using Fluorescence Spectroscopy Stationary Phase Effects in Reversed-Phase Chromatography. 2. Substituent Selectivities for Retention on Various Hydrocarbonaceous Bonded Phases Correlations Between Retention Data of Isomeric Alkylbenzenes and Physical Parameters in Reversed-Phase Micro HighPerformance Liquid-Chromatography Characterization of Glass, Quartz, and Fused-Silica Capillary Column Surfaces from Contact-Angle Measurements The Solubility Parameter As a Tool in Understanding LiquidChromatography Factors Affecting the Retention of Polycyclic AromaticHydrocarbons in Gas-Chromatography Optimization of Solvent Strength and Selectivity for ReversedPhase Liquid-Chromatography Using an Interactive MixtureDesign Statistical Technique Surface Silanols in Silica-Bonded Hydrocarbonaceous Stationary Phases. 2. Irregular Retention Behavior and Effect of Silanol Masking Surface Silanols in Silica-Bonded Hydrocarbonaceous Stationary Phases. 1. Dual Retention Mechanism in Reversed-Phase Chromatography Mechanism of Ion-Pair Liquid-Chromatographyof Amines, Neutrals, Zwitterions and Acids Using Anionic Heterons Mechanism of Solute Retention in Liquid-Solid Chromatography and the Role of the Mobile Phase in Affecting SeparationCompetition Versus Sorption Molecular Theory of Liquid Adsorption Chromatography Evaluation of a Simple HPLC Correlation Method for the Estimation of the Octanol-Water Partition-Coefficients of Organic-Compounds Hydrophobicity and Retention in Reversed Phase LiquidChromatography General-Approach for the Estimation of Octanol Water Partition-Coefficient by Reversed-Phase High-Performance Liquid-Chromatograph y
author(s) Welz, B.; Melcher, M.
source Analyst 1983, 108, 2 13-224
A 50
B 1.98
Kirkbright, G. F.; Narayanaswamy, R.; Welti, N. A. Stead, A. H.; Gibbs, J. P.; Gill, R.; Moffat, A. C.; Wright, T. Ottaway, J. M.; Bezur, L.; Marshall, J. Alexander, P. W.; Finlayson, R. J.; Smythe, L. E.; Thalib, A. Oyama, N.; Anson, F. C.
Analyst 1984,109, 1025-1028
41
6.16
Analyst 1982, 107, 1106-1 168
44
8.58
Analyst 1980,105, 1130-1 133 Analyst 1982,107, 1335-1342
35
8.66
33
8.58
Anal. Chem. 1980,52, 1192-1198
196
19.29
Anal. Chem. 1983,55, 730-731 Anal. Chem. 1982,54, 23 10-23 14 Anal. Chem. 1983,55, 2210-2218
98
13.95
91
16.46
92
13.95
89
18.28
11
13.13
41
13.13
40
13.13
38
8.83
36
11.84
36
9.85
Foley, J. P.; Dorsey, J. G. Engstrom, R. C. Keith, L. H.; Crummett, W.; Deegan, J.; Libby, R. A.; Taylor, J. K.; Wentler, G. Ewing, G.; Dayton, M. A.; Wightman, R. M. Tijssen, R. Reijn, J. M.; Poppe, H.; Vanderlinden, W. E. Hanekamp, H. B.; Vannieuwkerk, H. J. Vanderlinden, W. E. Lochmuller, C. H.; Marshall, D. B.; Wilder, D. R. Melander, W. R.; Horvath, C.
Anal. Chem. 1981,53, 1842-1847 Anal. Chim. Acta 1980, 114, 71-89 Anal. Chim. Acta 1980, 114, 105-118 Anal. Chim. Acta 1980,121, 13-22 Anal. Chim. Acta 1983, 151, 359-369 Anal. Chim. Acta 1981,130, 31-43 Chromatographia 1982, 15, 86-90
Jinno, K.; Kawasaki, K.
Chromatographia 1983,17, 331-340
33
9.34
Bartle, K. D.; Lee, M. L.; Wright, B. W. Schoenmakers, P. J.; Billet, H. A. H.; Degalan, L. Bartle, K. D.; Lee, M. L.; Wise, S.A. Glajch, J. L.; Kirkland, J. J.; Minor, J. M.; Squire, K. M.
Chromatographia 1981,14, 381-391 Chromatographia 1982,15, 205-214 Chromatographia 1981, 14, 69-12 J . Chromatogr. 1980,199, 51-19
32
8.92
32
9.85
28
8.92
218
13.31
Bij, K. E.; Horvath, C.; Melander, W. R.; Nahum, A. Nahum, A.; Horvath, C.
J . Chromatogr. 1981,203, 65-84
169
14.50
J . Chromatogr. 1981,203, 53-63
158
14.50
Knox, J. H.; Hartwick, R. A.
J . Chromatogr. 1981,204,
139
14.50
Snyder, L. R.; Poppe, H.
3-2 1 J . Chromatogr. 1980, 184, 363-41 3
108
31.31
Martire, D. E.; Boehm, R. E.
J . Liq. Chromatogr. 1980,3,
42
12.96
Haky, J. E.; Young, A. M,
153-114 J . Lip. Chromatogr. 1984, 7 , 675689
30
1.25
21
6.89
24
1.25
Damboise, M.; Hanai, T Valko, K.
J . Liq. Chromatogr. 1982, 5, 229-244 J . Liq. Chromatogr. 1984, 7 , 1405-1424
J . Chem. In5 Comput. Sci., Vol. 33, No. 1, 1993 173
ANALYTICAL ABSTRACTSDATABASE Table VI (Contlnutd) title Purification of Radioiodinated Cholecystokinin Peptides by Reverse Phase HPLC Laminar Dispersion in Flow-Injection Analysis The Use of Glass Electrodes for the Determination of Formation-Constants. 1. A Definitive Method for Calibration Ionic-Strength Dependence of Formation-Constants. 1. Protonation Constants of Organic and Inorganic Acids Metal-Complexes of Cyclic Tetra-Azatetra-Acetic Acids The Cation-Chelation Mechanism of Metal-Ion Sorption by Polyurethanes a
author@) Fourmy, D.; Antoniotti, H.; Esteve, J. P.; Pradayrol, L.; Ribet, A. Vanderslice, J. T.; Higgs, D. J.; Rosenfeld, A. G.; Stewart, K. K. May, P. M.; Linder, P. W.; Torrington, R. G.; Williams, D. R. Daniele, P. G.;Rigano, C.; Sammartano, S. Delgado, R.; Dasilva, J. J. R. F. Hamon, R. F.; Chow, A.; Khan, A. S.
source
A
B
J . Liq. Chromatogr. 1982, 5,
23
6.89
Tuluntu 1981, 28, 11-18
82
6.92
Tulanta 1982, 29, 249-256
39
7.63
Talanta 1983,30,81-87
32
4.94
Tulanta 1982,29,815-822 Talanta 1982,29,3 13-326
31 26
7.63 7.63
757-766
A = no. of citations, B = average citation rate of journal.
Table MI. Selected Definitions of Analytical Chemistry definition Analytical chemistry is the science of the production and interpretation of signals. Analytical chemistry is a distinct field of endeavor, dealing with the strategies and tactics of chemical measurements. Analytical chemistry is the branch of chemistry concerned with the knowledge of the components, composition, or structure of a material system in order to understand it. Analytical chemistry is concerned with providing qualitative and quantitative information about the chemical and structural composition of a sample of matter .... The field is founded on the conversion of a measured physical property of the species being examined to a usable signal. Analytical chemistry may be defined as the science and art of determining the composition of materials in terms of the elements or compounds contained in them. Analytical chemistry is the chemical discipline that uses statistical and other methods employing formal logic (a) to design or select optimal measurement procedures and experiments and (b) to provide maximum chemical information by analyzing chemical data. Analytical chemistry is the science of measurement and characterization of systems. To develop an analytical technique we need physics and computer science. Analytical chemistry is that branch of chemical research which has the development and improvement of practical analytical procedures as its goal. Analytical chemistry is a point of view, an intellectual attitude, a way of attacking problems, a discipline in its own right. The specific purpose of analytical chemistry is the resolution of a compound or a mixiture into its constituents, parts, or elements, which are qualitative when the nature only of the constituents is determined, or quantitative when their actual quantity or proportion is ascertained. -~ Table VIII. Selected Definitions of Chemical Analysis definition Chemical analysis always involves measurement (physics) and much of the time some inorganic and organic chemistry. An alliterative '6M" summary might be 'the means and methods of making meaningful measurements on materials". Chemical analysis is the determination of the qualitative and/or quantitative composition of substances and materials. Chemical analysis are information proccsscs planned ... with the aim of obtaining knowledge about the composition of substances under investigation. Chemical analysis is the art of recognizing different substances and determining their constituents. Chemical analysis is the determination of composition of substances.
tortions of the reflecting mirror have been, however, also revealed. The main distortion we have found is the only partial coverage of the contents of 'titled" analytical chemistry journals (see Table IV). It is our conviction that there is no better group of people to decide what does belong to analytical chemistry and what does not than the gatekeepers of 'titled" analytical journals. That is why we consider that a substantial improvement of the AA database could be achieved by covering the scientificcontent of thosejournals (Le.,the articles, notes, short communications, letters to the editor, and reviews they publish) comprehensively, i.e., without selection.
source Pungor, E. TrAC 1992,21,8 Kissinger, P. T. TrAC 1992,21,54 Goshi, Y. TrAC 1991,20,202 Krull, U. J.; Thomson, M. Analytical Chemistry. In Encyclopedia of Physical Sciences and Technology; Myers, R. A., Ed.; Academic Press: Orlando, 1987; Vol. 12, pp 286-313. Ewing, G. W. Instrumental Methods of Chemical Analysis; McGraw Hill: New York, 1985 Massart, D. L.; Hopke, P. K. J. Chem. InJ Comput. Sci. 1985, 25, 308 Meites, L.; Thomas, C. Advanced Analytical Chemistry; McGraw Hill: New York, 1963 Bard, A. J. ChemTech 1985,15,377 Hume, D. W. Anal. Chem. 1%3,35,294 Ellis, B. A. In Encyclopaedia Britannica; Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc.: London and New York, 1929; Vol. 5, p 309.
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REFERENCES AND NOTES (1) de Solla Price, D. J. Little Science, Big Science; Columbia University Press: New York and London, 1963. (2) de Solla Price, D. J. Sciencesince Babylon; Yale University Press: New Haven and London, 1975. (3) AnulyriculAbstrucrs,Royal Society of Chemistry: London, 1954-1992; Vol. 1-54. (4) Bradford,S.C. Documentation;Public Affairs Press: Washington, DC, 1950. ( 5 ) Garfield, E.Essuysof an InformutionScientist; IS1 Press: Philadelphia,
1989; Vol. 4, p 476. (6) Hawkins, D. T. Proc. Annu. Meet. ASIS 1979.16, 229-35. (7) Garfield, E.Citation Indexing. Irs Theory and Application in Science, Technology, and Humanities; John Wiley & Sons: New York, 1979. (8) Braun, T.; Bujdos6, E. Talanta 1983, 30, 169.
