Alfred James Lotka

Life

Alfred James Lotka (1880-1949)

See a good biographical sketch and selected bibliography of writings in Wikipedia at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotka 

Contributions

This excerpt describes his influence in bibliometrics: "Within the field of bibliometrics, particularly that part devoted to studying scientific publications, Lotka is noted for contributing "Lotka's law." The law which Lotka discovered relates to the productivity of scientists. As noted by W.G. Poitier in 1981: "The Lotka distribution is based on an inverse square law where the number of authors writing n papers is l/n2 of the number of authors writing one paper. Each subject area can have associated with it an exponent representing its specific rate of author productivity." Lotka's work sparked additional inquiries, eventually seminally contributing to the field of scientometrics, the scientific study of scientific publications."

Offices

Royal Economic Society of Population Association(?) Pres. 1938-39; Fellow American Statistical Association Pres. 1942.

Papers

Location #1 Princeton University Library, Mudd Manuscripts Library

• Papers dates: 1881-1949
• Size: 15.8 linear ft.; 34 cartons
• Includes: Professional papers
• Finding aid: See the Princeton library catalog record for details
• Source: NUCMC, MS 61-1069, p. 440