An Analysis of Journal Use by Structural Biologists with Applications for Journal Collection Development Decisions

Abstract

This paper defines and examines structural biology as a subdiscipline of molecular biology. Using bibliometric methodologies, it analyzes the publication and citation patterns of a sample group of structural biologists from multiple institutions. The citations analyzed covered a very large subject range, demonstrating the multidisciplinary nature of this subfield. The results were consistent with several models for journal selection. These models were used to compile a short list of specialized titles supporting structural biology. Although the research was performed on a relatively small group of local researchers, it has broader applications for other institutions attempting to develop similar collections.