The use of percentiles and percentile rank classes in the analysis of bibliometric data: Opportunities and limits |
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| Authors: | Lutz Bornmann Loet Leydesdorff Rüdiger Mutz |
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| Institution: | 1. Division for Science and Innovation Studies, Administrative Headquarters of the Max Planck Society, Hofgartenstr. 8, 80539 Munich, Germany;2. Amsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR), University of Amsterdam, Kloveniersburgwal 48, 1012 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands;3. Professorship for Social Psychology and Research on Higher Education, ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich), Muehlegasse 21, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland |
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| Abstract: | Percentiles have been established in bibliometrics as an important alternative to mean-based indicators for obtaining a normalized citation impact of publications. Percentiles have a number of advantages over standard bibliometric indicators used frequently: for example, their calculation is not based on the arithmetic mean which should not be used for skewed bibliometric data. This study describes the opportunities and limits and the advantages and disadvantages of using percentiles in bibliometrics. We also address problems in the calculation of percentiles and percentile rank classes for which there is not (yet) a satisfactory solution. It will be hard to compare the results of different percentile-based studies with each other unless it is clear that the studies were done with the same choices for percentile calculation and rank assignment. |
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