7 - How Eugene Garfield's ideas and legacy revolutionized the discovery of scientific information

Abstract

When Eugene Garfield created the Science Citation Index, he could not have foreseen the dramatic impact his brilliant idea would have on science in decades to come. The Institute for Scientific Information (ISI), which he founded in Philadelphia in 1960, developed innovative information products that have revolutionized the discovery of scientific information. Current Contents (CC), a weekly journal that included the tables of contents of key scientific journals, was for many years the sole source for current scientific information for researchers all over the world. His writings educated generations of researchers, academic administrators and politicians about science and scientific information. Garfield propelled the concepts of “citation indexing” and “citation linking,” paving the way for today's search engines. His major contribution—the Science Citation Index (SCI)—raised awareness about citations and laid the foundation for building other important information products such as Web of Science, Essential Science Indicators, and Journal Citation Reports. Garfield introduced the citation as a qualitative measure of research and triggered the development of new disciplines such as bibliometrics, informetrics, scientometrics, and webometrics. The Journal Impact Factor (JIF)—originally designed to select journals for the SCI—became the most widely accepted (but often inappropriately used) tool for measuring academic impact. Garfield advanced the theory and practice of information science and envisioned information systems that made the discovery of scientific information much more efficient. He actively promoted English as the international language of science and became a powerful force in the globalization of research. His ideas changed how researchers communicate their findings, discover scientific information, and advance their careers. Garfield was ahead of his time—few people recognized the retrieval potential of linking citations. This chapter looks at the impact of Garfield's ideas and legacy on science information discovery.