Over at well-formed.eigenFACTOR.org one can see the amazing and thoroughly mesmerising visual patterns brought on by representations of the ranking and mapping of scientific knowledge.

Based on the Eigenfactor^™ algorithm, which corresponds to a simple model of research in which readers follow chains of citations as they move from journal to journal. In effect, mapping the relative influence of individual scientific journals and patterns of relationship amongst the various academic disciplines.

Borrowing methods from network theory, eigenfactor.org ranks the influence of journals much as Google’s PageRank algorithm ranks the influence of web pages. By this approach, journals are considered to be influential if they are cited often by other influential journals.

Download an example citation pattern (the emergence of neuroscience) here (1.1Mb)

For more information visit eigenFACTOR.org

Is the Eigenfactor^™ score the new impact factor for Scientific, Technical and Medical journal publishing?