I did replicate Stephen's findings for last names but I would argue that since we are
really more concerned with relative numbers of citations and not some absolute number
(the Google numbers are obviously estimates after the first three digits) that the
best estimate of relative rank on Google would be the number of hits to their first
and last name in quotes. Certainly, this will miss a number of references to them but
most of the more important discussions of them will include both their first and last
names somewhere (unless done in APA style, which we all know from a recent thread, is
stupid).
Here are the hits ranked by last name or both names (in millions):
Most hits by Last Name
Last Name
Newton 7.83
Shakespeare 5.82
Darwin 4.25
Einstein 3.79
Marx 3.21
Freud 2.04
Most hits by Both Names
Both Names
A. Einstein 1.56
W. Shakespeare 1.34
K. Marx 0.837
C. Darwin 0.614
I. Newton 0.496
S. Freud 0.313
Einstein makes the biggest upward move here between those who use the name Albert and
those who just use his last name (from fourth to first). Shakespeare stays in second
and Freud is still last. Newton has the most precipitous drop (as one would expect)
from first to fifth. Darwin drops from third to fourth and Marx rises from fifth to
third.
Even more interesting is determining who is the most and least safe of these thinkers.
Google allows you to use the SafeSearch filter to exclude any hits that include
explicit text or images. By last names only, the results are as follows:
Last Name Safesearch Pct Unsafe
Einstein 3.79 3.37 11
Newton 7.83 6.55 16
Darwin 4.25 3.51 17
Marx 3.21 2.65 17
Shakespeare 5.82 4.7 19
Freud 2.04 1.59 22
As expected, Freud is the least safe, in that, almost a quarter of hits referring to
Freud also include explicit material. Einstein passes the purity test with only 11
percent unsafe. You might not think it surprising that Shakespeare is second least
safe given the randy nature of some of his work. However, interestingly enough, if you
add his first name onto the search, it cleans him up tremendously and he is actually
the purest of the thinkers listed:
Both Names Safesearch Pct Unsafe
W. Shakespeare 1.34 1.31 02
I. Newton 0.496 0.467 06
C. Darwin 0.614 0.574 07
A. Einstein 1.56 1.42 09
K. Marx 0.837 0.738 12
S. Freud 0.313 0.273 13
Although Freud still has his mind in the gutter, he has gone from 22% hits unsafe to
only 13% just by adding his first name. Everyone on the list thinks cleaner with his
first name added. Or maybe, those who attach a famous name to an explicit image or
text, don't bother with the first name.
As to the original study re: Eysenck, how about checking a citation index? I am pretty
sure, given the names on the original study, Marx, Freud and Eysenck, that the author
wasn't counting any time someone mentioned the name in passing in a letter to the
editor. I guess (if he used any methodology at all to back up the claim) he would have
used a citation index of some kind. He probably limited himself to academic citations
as opposed to popular ones. But googling is a lot more fun.
I think this kind of exercise can help to develop critical thinking about such data. I
published the results of one such enterprise on the web and posted the link to our
on-campus Discussion Forum on Academic Life
(http://acadweb.jbu.edu/psychology/chart.htm). I asked students to consider whether or
not the pie chart posted there could be said to represent the concerns on the mind of
the average JBU student. I got some thoughtful replies. I think the chart has about as
much validity as determining the most cited intellectual in history by using Google.
But there is much to be said for exercising your mind in other ways than grading
papers on the first day of vacation.
Rick Froman .000244 hits on Google (in millions)
Rick Froman .000235 safe hits (in millions) Only 4% unsafe!
Froman .0619 hits (in millions)
Froman .0485 safe hits (in millions) 22% unsafe!!! (I guess my relatives
have some explaining to do.)
Associate Professor of Psychology
John Brown University
2000 W. University
Siloam Springs, AR 72761
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
(479) 524-7295
http://www.jbu.edu/academics/sbs/rfroman.asp
-----Original Message-----
From: Allen Esterson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2003 5:04 AM
To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences
Subject: Re: Teaser: May I have the envelope please?
I was unable to replicate Stephen's Google citation results for Newton,
Shakespeare, Darwin, Einstein, Marx and Freud:
>Newton: 7.83 [million]
>Shakespeare: 5.82
>Darwin: 4.25
>Einstein: 3.79
>Marx: 3.21
>Freud: 2.04
My results were:
Newton: 5.25
Shakespeare: 3.91
Darwin: 2.85
Einstein: 2.55
Marx: 2.16
Freud: 1.37
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