Subscribe
now to receive all the new
music
Baba Brinkman creates,
including
13 back-catalog releases,
delivered instantly to you via the Bandcamp app for iOS and Android.
Learn more.
The science of science, aka SciSci, is the study of statistical trends in scientific publication, citation, innovation, and productivity, measuring the impact of individual papers, researchers, and teams working in collaboration from partners to co-authorship in the hundreds.
Experiments on experimental findings
The Science of Science
So many scientific studies
So many obstacles to getting published
So many trends, you can split it or lump it
Develop the status quo or disrupt it
And if you wanna be disruptive
Then get a smaller team with fewer incumbents
‘Cause it was all a dream, Biggie Smalls, it was all a gleam
In the eyes of a novice chasin’ a novelty
A temporal cluster with a high degree
Of citation impact, that’s a hot streak
When the best in the h-index comes next
To the next best, it’s the peak of success
With the rest back low, that’s a fresh plateau
But the Q-factor can still express that though
When a study getting cited is a dice throw
Q-factor is consistent highs or lows
For an individual, plus every next move
Could be the best yet, random impact rule
So keep it movin' – never let the stress impact you
Your biggest hit could be the next you do
Every study ever published, line it up
To data mine it for signals hiding
Experiments on experimental findings
The Science of Science
Don’t get excited
Just check the impact, which get cited?
A meta-study of a meta-study
Double-blinded
The Science of Science
So many scientific studies
So many changes in the way they get conducted
Co-authorship in the hundreds and bigger budgets
Big data sets on the means of production
58 million scientific papers
Less than half will ever get a citation
Just a few hit-makers get the platinum sales
Power law distribution, it’s fat-tailed
Preferential attachment, the rich get richest
Scientific publications in a competition
For citation acquisition, in different positions
Plus with intrinsic fitness characteristics
The fitness parameter, witness the stamina
Mix vintage with bleeding edge to get the maximum
Fitness impact, references get stacked
Every paper follows a specific citation path
Like a rap track, it gets released and you see
An immediate peak, plus some longevity
Some achieve street credibility, but the rest
Fall through the cracks like a null result test
Papers left in the desk drawer, gotta explore
Pre-register more, and forget the rewards
Take a risky bet, and if it’s a wrong turn
Don’t forget, failure just makes you stronger
Every study ever published, line it up
To data mine for signals hiding
Experiments on experimental findings
The Science of Science
Don’t get excited
Just check the impact, which get cited?
A meta-study of a meta-study
Double-blinded
The Science of Science
credits
from Rapsode,
released May 15, 2023
Lyrics by Baba Brinkman
Music by Tom Caruana
Keys by Simon Kendall
Additional Vocals by Aaron Ross
