The Florida State University Method
for Obtaining "NRC-style" Publication and Citation Counts

Step-by-step Instructions, Detailed Version

1. Access the Web of Science page. From a Florida State University computer, start at the FSU libraries home page (http://www.lib.fsu.edu). To the right of "List databases," click "most used." From the list of choices that appears, click "ISI Web of Science." Users at other institutions will have to determine how Web of Science can be accessed from their computers. The page from which the remaining instructions start is http://apps.isiknowledge.com/WOS_GeneralSearch_input.do?product=WOS&search_mode=GeneralSearch&SID=1FPIgI74emd4LHJBDlD&preferencesSaved=.

2. You are now on the basic "Search" page, which is the one you should use. [Why?] Leave the items under "Current Limits" (at the bottom of the page) on their default settings (all years and all databases). [Why?]

3. Counts are done one author at a time. Enter the author's name (SURNAME AB; upper or lower case will do) in the "AUTHOR" space.
   
   Caveats: If the author may have published under different sets of initials, enter both (e.g. "SURNAME A or SURNAME AB"), because a search on "SURNAME A" will not find publications by "SURNAME AB" or "SURNAME AC." If you don't know the middle initial, use the asterisk as a wild-card character (i.e., include "SURNAME A*"), but note that a search on "SURNAME A*" will not find publications by "SURNAME A." For names that include spaces or punctuation, include all plausible variations (e.g., enter "HYPHENATED-SURNAME A or HYPHENATEDSURNAME A or HYPHENATED-SURNAME AB or HYPHENATEDSURNAME AB"; note also variations like "O'SURNAME" and "OSURNAME"). Because no surname ever appears in Web of Science as two separate words, enter unhyphenated double surnames as, e.g., "DOUBLESURNAME or DOUBLE-SURNAME."

4. Change the "Publication Name" box to "Address" (i.e., click on the tiny down-arrow to the right of "Publication Name" and select "Address" from the list of choices).
5. Enter FSU's zip code ("32306") in the "ADDRESS" space. [Why?] [Even with unique or very unusual surnames?] If the faculty member uses a different zip code (e.g. 32310 for the National High Magnetic Field Lab), enter that one. If more than one zip code, enter both (e.g. "32306 or 32310"). Note that NRC will not count publications bearing zip codes that cannot be ascribed to FSU (e.g., "home" zip codes like 32312 or the zips from other institutions) or bearing no zip code at all.

6. Click "Search."

7. A list of publications that match both the specified author and the specified zip code will appear. [Why do some entries appear that are not publications of the FSU author I searched for?] Simply ignore those dated after 1997 or before 1994 [Why do some appear to be listed out of chronological order?], and proceed to determine each entry's eligibility to be counted as a publication: That is, click on the highlighted title to see the publication's full entry and determine that "Document type:" reads "article." If it does not, eliminate the entry from your publication count, and do not count its citations. [Why?]

8. While you have the entry on your screen, count its citations as well [Why?]: Do not simply record the number given in the "Times cited:" field (unless, of course, it is zero). Instead, click on the "Times cited:" field and count the citations individually. [Why?] Count only those dated 1994-1997. [Why?] Include self-citations in your count. [Why?]

9. When you have counted and recorded all eligible citations of the entry at hand, use your browser's "back" button to return to article entry. Then use the blue arrowheads (not your browser's "back" button) to proceed to the next or previous entry on the list. Repeat the verification of "article" status and the citation count for each 1994-1997 item on that list. Don't assume, the first time that the arrowhead takes you to a 1993 or 1998 item, that you have counted all the 1994-1997 items. Instead, use the "SUMMARY" button (not your browser's "back" button) to return to the list produced in Step 7 and scan forward and back to make certain you haven't overlooked any 1994-1997 publications that appear out of date order.

If you have questions or comments, please contact Anne B. Thistle.