Visualizing Citation Networks Over Time

We developed a novel adaptation of the node-link diagram for representing scholarly literature as networks of papers connected by citations. In our visualization, the influence of a particular paper is viewed over time. The viewer watches as the network builds year by year following the paper's publication, seeing the relative impact that the paper has had both within its own field and across other fields. As the narrative visualization progresses, important points---such as a citation by a paper in a different field---are identified, and annotations are automatically generated which give the viewer context.

Software

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Materials