Modeling the Growth of Neurology Literature

Abstract

The word ‘growth’ represents an increase in actual size, implying a change of state. In science and technology, growth may imply an increase in number of institutions, scientists, or publications, etc. The present study demonstrates the growth of neurology literature for the period 1961-2010. A total of 291,702 records were extracted from the Science Direct Database for fifty years. The Relative Growth Rate (RGR) and Doubling Time (Dt.) of neurology literature have been calculated, supplementing with different growth patterns to check whether neurology literature fits exponential, linear, or logistic models. The results of the study indicate that the growth of literature in neurology does not follow the linear, or logistic growth model. However, it follows closely the exponential growth model. The study concludes that there has been a consistent trend towards increased growth of literature in the field of neurology.