Documentation, Informaiton & Knowledge ›› 2024, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (6): 102-112.doi: 10.13366/j.dik.2024.06.102

• Library, Document & Communication • Previous Articles     Next Articles

The Measurement of the "Obliteration by Incorporation" Phenomenon: A Case of Matthew Effect

LYU Haihua1 ,LI Jiang2   

  1. 1. School of Management Engineering, Nanjing Institute of Technology, Nanjing, 211167;
    2. School of Information Management, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023
  • Online:2024-11-10 Published:2025-01-04
  • Supported by:
    This is an outcome of the project at the University Level "Research on Knowledge Flow Measurement Based on Multidimensional Analysis "(YKJ202327)supported by Research Foundation of Nanjing Institute of Technology, and the project "Interdisciplinary Flow Paths of Research Methods and Their Disciplinary Driving Forces"(2024SJZD066)supported by Jiangsu Province Major Project for Research in Philosophy and Social Sciences in Colleges and Universities.

Abstract: [Purpose/Significance] The phenomenon of "Obliteration by Incorporation(OBI)" refers to the situation in academic research where certain ideas, methods, discoveries, theories etc. are no longer cited after being generally accepted, as this type of knowledge is indispensable in the process of scientific development and progress, but its academic influence may be underestimated. Therefore, it is particularly important to measure the OBI phenomenon of common-sense knowledge. [Design/Methodology] Comprehensive databases CNKI(1992-2021)and JSTOR(1986-2018)are utilized to retrieve literature encompassing discussions on the "Matthew Effect". By constructing a framework for measuring the OBI phenomenon, this study uncovers the prevalence level of explicit, implicit, and indirect citations within its context. Furthermore, it delves into the underlying reasons driving citation behaviors associated with this OBI phenomenon. [Findings/Conclusion] The findings show that the framework is effective in revealing both the external and internal features of the OBI phenomenon, while the citation behavior behind this OBI phenomenon is influenced by factors such as time, literature type, and language. [Originality/Value] The measurement of the OBI phenomenon provides a reference basis for accurately revealing the academic influence of common-sense knowledge and enriches the dimensions of knowledge flow measurement to some extent.

Keywords: Obliteration by incorporation, Common-sense knowledge, Knowledge diffusion, Implicit citation, Indirect citation