Electronic access of individual papers in economics: a study

Abstract

Examines the electronic access (read) of individual research papers in economics selected randomly from the Repec data base. Finds similarities and differences in the measure of central tendency and dispersion of two type of reads viz abstract read and full text read of papers by calculating the rate of read, standard deviation and coefficient of variation. Results indicate topic-wise difference both in the number of abstract read and full text read. Finds a very high positive correlation between the monthly abstract read and full text read, also obtains the regression equation. Derives a ratio connecting the per month abstract read, full text read and citation. Indicate that full text read is a subset of abstract read. Finds that a more read paper is not correspondingly well cited. Searches for a best-fit relationship between the full text read and citations, and obtains a tenth degree polynomial but with coefficient of determination being 0.42 only. Concludes that citation is not parameterized by read. Suggests the need of a social network analysis to identify the parameters of citations.