Journal ranking, that is, placing journals within their respective fields, is an important research evaluation tool. Several indices have been suggested for this purpose, typically on the basis of citation graph . We follow an axiomatic approach and find an impossibility theorem: any self-consistent ranking method, which satisfies a natural monotonicity property, should depend on the level of aggregation. Our result presents a trade-off between two axiomatic properties and reveals a dilemma of aggregation.
Journal ranking, that is, placing journals within their respective fields, means an important research evaluation tool. Several indices have been suggested for this purpose, typically on the basis of a citation graph between the journals . We follow an axiomatic approach and find an impossibility theorem: any self-consistent ranking method, which satisfies a natural monotonicity property, should depend on the level of aggregation. Our result presents a trade-off between two axiomatic properties and reveals a dilemma of aggregation.
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citation graph
a citation graph between the journals