Sub-field normalization of the IEEE scientific journals based on their connection with Technical Societies

The main contribution of this work is (1) providing an empirical confirmation of the complexity of the problem of normalization, even for journals within the same field but different sub-fields/specialties, and (2) showing how the use of highly specialized information on a journal reference sub-field(s) may be helpful for improving the estimation of the journal propensity to cite. Description is supported by a large amount of empirical data.