Lotka's frequency distribution of scientific productivity

Abstract In 1926, Alfred Lotka examined the frequency distribution of scientific productivity of chemists and physicists. After analyzing the number of publications of chemists listed in Chemical Abstracts 1907–1916 and the contributions of physicists listed in Auerbach's Geschi‐chtstafeln der Physik , he observed that the number of persons making n contributions is about 1/ n 2 of those making one and the proportion of all contributors that make a single contribution is about 60%. Recently, investigators studying the applicability of “Lotka's law” to the humanities and to map librarianship may have misinterpreted Lotka's law and have concluded erroneously that the law applies to these fields. Corrected calculations indicate that Lotka's law does not apply.