The quality-quantity-quasity and energy-exergy-entropy exegesis of expected value calculation of citation performance

Quantitative assessment of information production processes requires the definition of a robust citation performance indicator. This is particularly so where there is a need to introduce a normalization mechanism for correcting for quality across field and disciplines. In this paper, we offer insights from the “thermodynamic” approach in terms of quality, quantity and quasity and energy, exergy and entropy to show how the recently introduced expected value measure can be rationalized and improved. The normalized energy indicator E is proposed as a suitable single number scalar indicator of a scientist’s or group’s performance (i.e. as a multiplicative product of quality and quantity), when complete bibliometric information is available.