Influence and reputation in the social sciences – how much do researchers agree?

Abstract

The existence of hierarchies based on reputation in modern science is indisputable. A set of common scientific journals is often assumed to be instrumental in the formation of these hierarchies. However, the character of the hierarchies, how monolithic/pluralistic they are and the functions of this differentiation have been discussed and caused controversy. The article brings together results from a survey of 788 Danish researchers, mainly from the social sciences, concerning their assessments of the most influential researchers and most important journals. The rankings indicate a pluralistic picture and only a moderate degree of consensus among researchers. Comparisons with (the few) other surveys and with citation data do not suggest this to be a peculiarity of Danish social scientists, however.

Citation

Andersen, H. (2000), "Influence and reputation in the social sciences – how much do researchers agree?", Journal of Documentation, Vol. 56 No. 6, pp. 674-692. https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000007132