The Institutionalization of Scientific Information: A Scientometric Model (ISI-S Model)

A scientometric model (ISI-S model) is introduced for describing the institutionalization process of scientific information. The central concept of ISI-S is that the scientific information published may develop with time through permanent evaluation and modification processes toward a cognitive consensus of distinguished authors of the respective scientific field or discipline. ISI-S describes the information and knowledge systems of science as a global network of interdependent information and knowledge clusters that are dynamically changing by their content and size. ISI-S assumes sets of information with short -or long- term impact and information integrated into the basic scientific knowledge or common knowledge. The type of the information sources (e.g., lecture, journal paper, review, monograph, book, textbook, lexicon) and the length of the impact are related to the grade of institutionalization. References are considered as proofs of manifested impact. The relative and absolute development of scientific knowledge seems to be slower than the increase of the number of publications.