Random drift versus selection in academic vocabulary: an evolutionary analysis of published keywords

TL;DR

This study analyzes how academic keywords evolve over time, comparing observed changes to a random copying model to identify the influence of selection, with findings indicating stronger selection in physical sciences than social sciences.

Contribution

It introduces an evolutionary framework for analyzing keyword frequency changes, distinguishing selection from random drift in academic vocabulary evolution.

Findings

Greater selection observed in physical sciences keywords

Random copying model used as null hypothesis

Applicable to other phenomena like web searches and sales

Abstract

The evolution of vocabulary in academic publishing is characterized via keyword frequencies recorded the ISI Web of Science citations database. In four distinct case-studies, evolutionary analysis of keyword frequency change through time is compared to a model of random copying used as the null hypothesis, such that selection may be identified against it. The case studies from the physical sciences indicate greater selection in keyword choice than in the social sciences. Similar evolutionary analyses can be applied to a wide range of phenomena; wherever the popularity of multiple items through time has been recorded, as with web searches, or sales of popular music and books, for example.