An ego-centric citation analysis of the works of Michael O. Rabin based on multiple citation indexes

The primary goal of this study was to carry out an ego-centric citation and reference analysis of the works of the mathematician and computer scientist, Michael O. Rabin. Until recently only a single citation database was available for such research – the ISI Citation Indexes. In this study we utilized and compared three major sources that provide citation data: the Web of Science, Google Scholar and Citeseer. Most cited works, citation identity, citation image makers and coauthors were identified. The citation image makers acquired through these sources differ considerably. Advantages and shortcomings of each of the tools are discussed in the context of computer science. A major issue in computer science is multiple manifestations of a work, i.e., its publication in several venues (technical reports, proceedings, journals, collections). The implications of multiple manifestations for citation analysis are discussed.