Using Search Engine Count Estimates as Indicators of Academic Impact: A Web-based Replication of Haggbloom et al.’s (2002) Study

Abstract

Using a complex set of quantitative and qualitative indicators of scientific importance, Haggbloom et al. [1] compiled a ranking of the most eminent psychologists of the 20th century. The present study set out to replicate this rankordered list using simple search engine count estimates (SECEs) obtained from three popular internet search engines. In line with our expectations, our results revealed a small, but significant relationship between SECEs and the existing offline ranking when the query specified the scientist’s field of research (i.e., psychology). Our results imply that SECEs may be considered easy to apply indicators of a researcher’s impact.