Reply to comment on ‘Are physicists afraid of mathematics?’

Kollmer J, Pöschel T, Gallas J (2016)


Publication Language: English

Publication Type: Journal article, Original article

Publication year: 2016

Journal

Book Volume: 18

Article Number: 118004

DOI: 10.1088/1367-2630/18/11/118004

Abstract

Based on citation data of biologists and physicists, we reiterate that trends in statistical indicators are not reliable to unambiguously blame mathematics for the existence or lack of paper citations. We further clarify that, contrary to claims in the Comment (Higginson and Fawcett 2016 New J. Phys.18 118003), a clear statistical correlation between the number of equations and the citation success is not possible because the data is too noisy and not reliable for identifying trends unambiguously. Concerning their conclusions, we stress the well-know fact in statistics that even if correlation could be found, it by no means imply causality. Concerning their conclusions, we stress the well-know fact in statistics that even if correlation could be found, it by no means implies causality. Accordingly, to discuss ways of increasing citation rates by suppressing or hiding equations in appendices cannot be justified with statistics, even less so when based on small sets of very noisy data.

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How to cite

APA:

Kollmer, J., Pöschel, T., & Gallas, J. (2016). Reply to comment on ‘Are physicists afraid of mathematics?’. New Journal of Physics, 18. https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/18/11/118004

MLA:

Kollmer, Jonathan, Thorsten Pöschel, and Jason Gallas. "Reply to comment on ‘Are physicists afraid of mathematics?’." New Journal of Physics 18 (2016).

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