Similarity Measures, Author Cocitation Analysis, and Information Theory

Abstract

The use of Pearson's correlation coefficient in Author Cocitation Analysis was compared with Salton's cosine measure in a number of recent contributions. Unlike the Pearson correlation, the cosine is insensitive to the number of zeros. However, one has the option of applying a logarithmic transformation in correlation analysis. Information calculus is based on both the logarithmic transformation and provides a non-parametric statistics. Using this methodology one can cluster a document set in a precise way and express the differences in terms of bits of information. The algorithm is explained and used on the data set which was made the subject of this discussion.