Measuring a journalʹs input rhythm based on its publication–reference matrix

The difference among journal reference characteristics in various fields causes a field-based difference in their citation counts. For the purpose of improving indicators used in cross-field evaluations it is necessary to continue explorations corresponding to the characteristics of journal references. Such an exploration would offer new clues for solving the problem of cross-field journal evaluation. During the past years studies of the rhythm of science have obtained some achievements: constructing various types of publication–citation matrices (in short: p–c matrices), creating a series of rhythm indicators, studying the fundamental mathematical properties of rhythm sequences and exploring some journals’ rhythm sequences. Rhythm indicators can be applied to many studies, if the system is a source–item system with two time dimensions, ensuring the construction of a p–c-like matrix, then such a study is theoretically feasible. In this article we create a journalʹs publication–reference matrix (p–r matrix). Based on the p–r matrix the rR′ indicator is defined, which is used to measure the so-called input rhythm of a journal. As two case studies, the input rhythms of the Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology and of the Journal of Documentation are presented and analyzed.