Ratios of h-cores, h-tails and uncited sources in sets of scientific papers and technical patents

Five ratios RH, RT, SH, ST and SZ derived from the three-part division of a set of sources in h-core, h-tail and uncited sources are defined. Dynamic changes in the three independent ratios RH, SH and SZ are studied for six selected topics. Data about these topics are obtained from the Web of Science for scientific papers and Derwent Innovations Index for technical patents. It is observed that all RH- and SH-values decrease when the time span widens, while SZ stays the same or increases; and that all RH- and SH-values for papers are larger than the corresponding values for patents. The shifted Lotka distribution is used in a theoretical interpretation of these empirical phenomena.

► Sets of papers and patents are subdivided into three parts: h-core, uncited sources and other h-tail sources.
► Dynamic changes of core ratios derived from this three-part partition are studied.
► Empirical examples as well as a theoretical model are provided.