A Comparison of the Citation Patterns of Doctoral Students in Chemistry versus Chemical Engineering at Mississippi State University, 2002–2011

Abstract

This study compared subject focuses and uses of research materials in chemistry versus chemical engineering dissertations completed at Mississippi State University, 2002–2011. Unsurprisingly, journal articles and books were the dominant format of cited sources, and conference proceedings and web resources accounted for much of the remainder. Chemical engineering dissertations, however, showed a distinctively higher rate of citations to books. Moreover, chemistry students were notably more likely to cite older references. While the primary purpose of the article was to demonstrate how a local use study might be done, and despite the small sample sizes involved, the results may have some implications for library collection management in comparable schools offering doctorates in both fields.