Important items in the database: an investigation of two methods of identification

This paper examines the problem of selectivity within the database and, in particular, the problem of identification of important literature. An examination was conducted on literature in a specific scientific area, quantum mechanics, identified as important using two means of selection. Four histories of quantum mechanics were examined and the references each author used were analysed. The second means of selecting important literature was a bibliometric analysis, using citation frequency literature spanning the years prior to 1937. Specific characteristics of the literature were examined as well as overall association between pairs of ranks in the two files. A gamma test of association was employed, producing an observed value interpreted as non‐significant and indicating no association between the ranks of references in the two files. Lack of association implies statistical independence. In the case of the specific attributes, the literature was examined for predictive ability. In all cases, the particular attributes showed no symmetric predictive ability. The results of this investigation have some impact in the online database area, specifically with respect to the selection and retention of items within a database.