The Energy–Exergy–Entropy (or EEE) sequences in bibliometric assessment

Bibliometric research assessment has matured into a quantitative phase using more meaningful measures and analogies. In this paper, we propose a thermodynamic analogy and introduce what are called the energy, exergy and entropy terms associated with a bibliometric sequence. This can be displayed as time series (variation over time), or in event terms (variation as papers are published) and also in the form of phase diagrams (energy–exergy–entropy representations). It is exergy which is the most meaningful single number scalar indicator of a scientist’s performance while entropy then becomes a measure of the unevenness (disorder) of the publication portfolio.