{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7118236381","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2601.02395","title":"On (Newcomb-)Benford's law: a tale of two papers and of their disproportionate citations. How citation counts can become biased","display_name":"On (Newcomb-)Benford's law: a tale of two papers and of their disproportionate citations. How citation counts can become biased","publication_year":2025,"publication_date":"2025-12-26","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7118236381","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2601.02395"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"pmh:doi:10.48550/arxiv.2601.02395","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":null,"pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4406922384","display_name":"Open MIND","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Article"},"type":"article","indexed_in":["datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":null,"any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5108370011","display_name":"Tariq Ahmad Mir","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Mir, Tariq Ahmad","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5072822499","display_name":"Marcel Ausloos","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9973-0019"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Ausloos, Marcel","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":0,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":0.0,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.69149528,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T13720","display_name":"Benford\u2019s Law and Fraud Detection","score":0.996399998664856,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2613","display_name":"Statistics and Probability"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/26","display_name":"Mathematics"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T13720","display_name":"Benford\u2019s Law and Fraud Detection","score":0.996399998664856,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2613","display_name":"Statistics and Probability"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/26","display_name":"Mathematics"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11166","display_name":"Analytic Number Theory Research","score":0.0007999999797903001,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2602","display_name":"Algebra and Number Theory"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/26","display_name":"Mathematics"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T13500","display_name":"Probability and Statistical Research","score":0.00019999999494757503,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2613","display_name":"Statistics and Probability"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/26","display_name":"Mathematics"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/phenomenon","display_name":"Phenomenon","score":0.7728999853134155},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/popularity","display_name":"Popularity","score":0.7523000240325928},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/ignorance","display_name":"Ignorance","score":0.7376000285148621},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/benfords-law","display_name":"Benford's law","score":0.6159999966621399},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/neglect","display_name":"Neglect","score":0.5623000264167786},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/citation","display_name":"Citation","score":0.4977000057697296}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C50335755","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q483247","display_name":"Phenomenon","level":2,"score":0.7728999853134155},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780586970","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1357284","display_name":"Popularity","level":2,"score":0.7523000240325928},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778732403","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q815577","display_name":"Ignorance","level":2,"score":0.7376000285148621},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C152636012","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q817168","display_name":"Benford's law","level":2,"score":0.6159999966621399},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776289891","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1931511","display_name":"Neglect","level":2,"score":0.5623000264167786},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778805511","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1713","display_name":"Citation","level":2,"score":0.4977000057697296},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C118084267","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q26110","display_name":"Positive economics","level":1,"score":0.39259999990463257},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C51779217","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5519373","display_name":"Galton's problem","level":2,"score":0.3718999922275543},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C53553401","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q47307","display_name":"Genealogy","level":1,"score":0.3652999997138977},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C95457728","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q309","display_name":"History","level":0,"score":0.36410000920295715},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C111472728","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9471","display_name":"Epistemology","level":1,"score":0.3571000099182129},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C14036430","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3736076","display_name":"Function (biology)","level":2,"score":0.35010001063346863},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C105345328","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q206276","display_name":"Citation analysis","level":3,"score":0.3197999894618988},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778334786","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1586270","display_name":"Variation (astronomy)","level":2,"score":0.271699994802475},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C144024400","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21201","display_name":"Sociology","level":0,"score":0.27140000462532043},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C36914074","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1940501","display_name":"nobody","level":2,"score":0.2574000060558319},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15744967","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418","display_name":"Psychology","level":0,"score":0.2524000108242035}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":2,"locations":[{"id":"pmh:doi:10.48550/arxiv.2601.02395","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":null,"pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4406922384","display_name":"Open MIND","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Article"},{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2601.02395","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2601.02395","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":null,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"pmh:doi:10.48550/arxiv.2601.02395","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":null,"pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4406922384","display_name":"Open MIND","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Article"},"sustainable_development_goals":[{"score":0.7658777236938477,"display_name":"Peace, Justice and strong institutions","id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/16"}],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"The":[0],"first":[1,24],"digit":[2],"(FD)":[3],"phenomenon":[4,68],"i.e.,":[5],"the":[6,43,52,59,62,67,90,100,103,124,133,140,144,154,159,177],"significant":[7],"digits":[8],"of":[9,54,66,75,80,102,127,139,143,165,172,187,189],"numbers":[10],"in":[11,51,158,192],"large":[12],"data":[13],"are":[14,69],"often":[15],"distributed":[16],"according":[17],"to":[18,97,151,194],"a":[19,107,119,183],"logarithmically":[20],"decreasing":[21],"function":[22],"was":[23],"reported":[25],"by":[26,35,83,115,176],"S.":[27],"Newcomb":[28,84,128,190],"and":[29,86],"then":[30],"many":[31],"decades":[32,46,138],"later":[33],"independently":[34],"F.":[36],"Benford.":[37],"After":[38],"its":[39,166],"century":[40],"long":[41],"neglect":[42],"last":[44],"three":[45],"have":[47],"seen":[48],"huge":[49],"growth":[50],"number":[53,79,186],"relevant":[55],"publications.":[56],"However,":[57],"notwithstanding":[58],"rising":[60],"popularity":[61],"two":[63],"independent":[64],"proponents":[65],"not":[70],"equally":[71],"acknowledged":[72],"an":[73],"indication":[74],"which":[76,147],"is":[77,180],"disproportionate":[78],"citations":[81,126,188],"accumulated":[82],"(1881)":[85,191],"Benford":[87,195],"(1938).":[88,196],"In":[89],"present":[91],"study":[92],"we":[93,131],"use":[94],"citation":[95],"analysis":[96],"show":[98],"that":[99,163],"formalization":[101],"eponym":[104],"Benford's":[105],"law,":[106],"name":[108],"questionable":[109],"itself":[110],"for":[111,174,182],"overlooking":[112],"Newcomb's":[113],"contribution,":[114],"Raimi":[116],"(1976)":[117],"had":[118],"strong":[120],"adverse":[121],"effect":[122],"on":[123],"future":[125],"(1881).":[129],"Furthermore,":[130],"identify":[132],"papers":[134],"published":[135],"over":[136],"various":[137],"developmental":[141],"history":[142],"FD":[145],"phenomenon,":[146],"latter":[148],"turned":[149],"out":[150,171],"be":[152],"amongst":[153],"most":[155],"cited":[156],"ones":[157],"field.":[160],"We":[161],"find":[162],"lack":[164],"consideration,":[167],"intentional":[168],"or":[169],"occasionally":[170],"ignorance":[173],"referencing":[175],"prominent":[178],"papers,":[179],"responsible":[181],"far":[184],"lesser":[185],"comparison":[193]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-07-28T07:46:37.118299","created_date":"2026-01-08T00:00:00"}