Tracing the origin of a scientific legend by reference publication year spectroscopy (RPYS): the legend of the Darwin finches

• Published in: Scientometrics Vol. 99; no. 3; pp. 839 - 844
• Main Authors: Marx, Werner, Bornmann, Lutz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.06.2014; Springer
• Subjects: Bibliometrics; Bibliometrics. Scientometrics; Bibliometrics. Scientometrics. Evaluation; Computer Science; Exact sciences and technology; History; Information and communication sciences; Information science. Documentation; Information Storage and Retrieval; Library and information science. General aspects; Library Science; Sciences and techniques of general use; Subject fields; Scientific legends; Citation analysis; Reference publication year spectroscopy; Research field; Scientific research; Frequency; Citation
• ISSN: 0138-9130; 1588-2861
• DOI: 10.1007/s11192-013-1200-8

In a previews paper we introduced the quantitative method named reference publication year spectroscopy (RPYS). With this method one can determine the historical roots of research fields and quantify their impact on current research. RPYS is based on the analysis of the frequency with which references are cited in the publications of a specific research field in terms of the publication years of these cited references. In this study, we illustrate that RPYS can also be used to reveal the origin of scientific legends. We selected “Darwin finches” as an example for illustration. Charles Darwin, the originator of evolutionary theory, was given credit for finches he did not see and for observations and insights about the finches he never made. We have shown that a book published in 1947 is the most-highly cited early reference cited within the relevant literature. This book had already been revealed as the origin of the term “Darwin finches” by Sulloway through careful historical analysis.