Abstract

URBIZAGASTEGUI ALVARADO, Rubén  and  SUAREZ, Javier. Epidemic Theory in the literature on Lotka's law. Investig. bibl [online]. 2008, vol.22, n.46, pp.91-111. ISSN 2448-8321.

The objective of the present study is to analyse the epidemic model as a deterministic process represented by a system of differential equations and apply it to authors producing literature on Lotka's law from 1922 to 2005. An epidemic process starting in 1965 and showing a high rate or transient authors is observed. Those authors publishing in languages different from English found the area already infected.

Keywords : Epidemic process; Goffman's law; Lotka's law; Authors' productivity; Scientometrics; Bibliometrics; Informetrics.