Ian Mulvany

May 6, 2024

Measuring the impact of google on research

A fascinating paper looking at how google’s sudden departure from china affected research output. 

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13662716.2023.2298293

show that the scientific productivity declines by about 28% in volume and 30% in terms of citations. 

This is a massive effect and it tells us that: 

  • Ease of access to research is measurably impactful. 
  • Google is king, so google should almost be the most important customer that publisher platforms cater for. 
  • Understanding how our systems interact with the wider digital eco system are table stakes. 

About Ian Mulvany

Hi, I'm Ian - I work on academic publishing systems. You can find out more about me at mulvany.net. I'm always interested in engaging with folk on these topics, if you have made your way here don't hesitate to reach out if there is anything you want to share, discuss, or ask for help with!