THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY

1230 YORK AVENUE NEW YORK, NY 10021-6399

 

JOSHUA LEDERBERG November 13, 1991

UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR

Professor Helen Astin

Higher Education Research Institute
University of California

405 Hilgard Avenue

Los Angeles, California 90024

Dear Professor Astin: /
—_— Cc
I was (for many reasons) interested in your
PLOSopos Seaen of men and women in Citation Classics
(in The’ Ou et Circle).

 

 

You refer to differing perceptions on the part
of the authors, classified by sex. Objective reality
is of course part of perception: did it occur to you
to ask for a third party evaluation of these contrib-
utors, and see how these jibe with the author's?

Besides being a basic methodological issue, my
suggestion is impelled by the very heavy loading of
citation classics by "method" papers and these would
tend not to have some of the attributes listed under
"women":"first, integrates, fundamental"...

So let's ask if women's classics are as heavily
loaded by method papers as are men's. That might be
a source of different perceptions (as well as of lower
citation rates) ~-- and would of course raise new
questions.

"Berson and Yalow" by itself might tip the scale
but let us not be over-influenced by outhieys.

/ipugs ee,
?

{Joshua Lederberg