Does the use of unusual combinations of datasets contribute to greater scientific impact?

ABSTRACT: Scientific datasets play a crucial role in contemporary data-driven research, as they allow for the progress of science by facilitating the discovery of new patterns and phenomena. This mounting demand for empirical research raises important questions on how strategic data utilization in research projects can stimulate scientific advancement. In this study, we examine the hypothesis inspired by the recombination theory, which suggests that innovative combinations of existing knowledge, including the use of unusual combinations of datasets, can lead to high-impact discoveries. Focusing on social science, we investigate the scientific outcomes of such atypical data combinations in more than 30,000 publications that leverage over 5,000 datasets curated within one of the largest social science

SUBMITTER: Yu Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11474085 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature