Paradigm shifts. Part II. Reverse Transcriptase. Analysis of reference stability and word frequencies

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the impact of the 1970 discovery of reverse transcriptase on RNA virus research, highlighting shifts in citation patterns and terminology through co-citation and word frequency analysis.

Contribution

It introduces a bibliometric approach to trace paradigm shifts in scientific research by examining citation and terminology changes.

Findings

Identification of a citation pattern break in 1970

Detection of new technical terms associated with the discovery

Demonstration of shifts in research focus through word analysis

Abstract

The reverse transcription paradigm shift in RNA tumor virus research marked by the discovery of the reverse transcriptase in 1970 was traced using co-citation and title word frequency analysis. It is shown that this event is associated with a break in citation patterns and the occurrence of previously unknown technical terms.