Metrics sonification: The introduction of new ways to present bibliometric data using publication data of Loet Leydesdorff as an example

Abstract The visualization of publication and citation data is popular in bibliometrics. Although less common, the representation of empirical data as sound is an alternative form of presentation (in other fields than bibliometrics). In this representation, the data are mapped into sound and listened to by an audience. Approaches for the sonification of data have been developed in many fields since decades. Since sonification has several advantages for the presentation of data, this study is intended to introduce sonification to bibliometrics named as ‘metrics sonification’. Metrics sonification is defined as the sonification of bibliometric information (measurements, data or results) for their empirical analysis and/or presentation. In this study, we used metadata of publications by Loet Leydesdorff to sonify their properties. Loet Leydesdorff was a giant in the field of scientometrics, who passed away in 2023. The track based on Loet Leydesdorff’s publications can be listened to on SoundCloud using the following link: https://on.soundcloud.com/oxBTA32x4EgwvKVz5 . The track has been composed in F minor; this key was chosen to express the sad occasion. The quantitative part of the track includes a parameter mapping (a sonification) of three properties of his publications: (1) publication output, (2) open access publication, and (3) citation impact of publications. The qualitative part (spoken audio) focuses on explanations of the parameter mapping and descriptions of the mapped papers (based on their titles and abstracts). The sonification of Loet Leydesdorff’s publications presented in this study is only one possible type of metrics sonification application. As the great number of projects from other disciplines have demonstrated, many other types of applications are possible in bibliometrics.