Identifying the Role of Multidisciplinary Journals in Scientific Research

Abstract

Scientists in focused research areas customarily use specialized journals, and yet multidisciplinary journals also are widely cited. Prior studies have investigated the characteristics of multidisciplinary journals, but none have considered the role this type of journal plays in scientific research. Citation data from Nature, Science, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences were used to profile the articles in the journals and the articles that cite them. In particular, when citation occurred across disciplines, the reason for the citation was investigated.