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Journal Summary Usage Data

This page contains summary tables relating solely to article usage data. We have also provided detailed text describing the full range of article-level metrics at PLoS, detailed information about usage data in particular, and a summary Excel file containing the full data set.

Table of average lifetime usage per journal: mean values are shown per journal, per article type (Research Articles or non-Research Articles), according to the year of first publication

These tables contain summary usage data for the articles published by each PLoS journal and provide an indication of the typical usage levels that might be expected, at a journal level, for those articles originally published in any given year. As an example of how to read these tables, there were 33 Research Articles published in PLoS Biology in 2003 and as of 31st October 2010 their lifetime average usage was 12,400.

See notes at the bottom of this table.

Research Articles

20032004200520062007200820092010
Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)
PLoSBiology12400 (33)10000 (176)9800 (176)7600 (185)6900 (203)5600 (197)4300 (181)3200 (160)
PLoSClinicalTrialsn/an/an/a3000 (25)2400 (19)n/an/an/a
PLoSCompBioln/an/a5700 (55)4100 (136)3500 (203)3100 (251)2200 (343)1500 (321)
PLoSGeneticsn/an/a6000 (66)4500 (172)4300 (210)3400 (325)2100 (436)1500 (376)
PLoSMedicinen/a10300 (13)7200 (86)6300 (145)6500 (135)9200 (110)5300 (77)3300 (74)
PLoSNTDn/an/an/an/a2800 (26)2400 (133)1100 (178)700 (247)
PLoSONEn/an/an/a8800 (137)3000 (1229)2200 (2716)1600 (4400)900 (5250)
PLoSPathogensn/an/a4200 (36)4200 (97)3500 (172)2700 (271)1800 (423)1300 (415)

Non-Research Articles

20032004200520062007200820092010
Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)
PloS Biology8500 (65)4700 (280)3700 (255)3000 (238)5300 (118)4800 (131)4800 (83)3500 (92)
PLoS Clinical Trialsn/an/an/a4400 (15)1600 (9)n/an/an/a
PLoS Computational Biologyn/an/a9600 (17)5700 (32)6600 (48)6900 (36)5500 (33)4400 (20)
PLoS Geneticsn/an/a4500 (11)3900 (35)4000 (20)3300 (27)2500 (37)2300 (18)
PLoS Medicinen/a7200 (55)5600 (348)4300 (342)4000 (210)4300 (140)3900 (122)3400 (87)
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseasesn/an/an/an/a3000 (16)2200 (46)1500 (46)1100 (35)
PLoS ONEn/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/a
PLoS Pathogensn/an/a4900 (5)3900 (26)4500 (25)4300 (15)3700 (36)2900 (41)

Notes

Topic-based summary tables: mean average lifetime usage is shown for Research Articles only, listed per journal, per topic, according to the year of first publication

These tables contain summary usage data for the research articles published in each PLoS journal and provide an indication of the typical usage levels that might be expected for an article published in any given topic area in any specific PLoS journal, originally published in any given year. As an example of how to read these tables, there were 28 Research Articles published in PLoS Biology in 2006 in the topic area 'Biochemistry', and as of 31st October 2010 their lifetime average usage was 6,200.

PLoS Biology

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2004200520062007200820092010
Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)
Biochemistry7200 (4)7700 (27)6200 (28)4400 (38)4300 (39)3500 (36)2500 (35)
Biophysics8200 (11)6600 (11)6100 (17)5000 (18)3400 (17)4100 (24)2000 (10)
Cell Biology9100 (64)9000 (42)6700 (41)5800 (57)4500 (54)3900 (70)2600 (41)
Computational Biology12500 (31)11200 (42)9800 (36)8600 (35)5700 (17)5300 (21)4000 (23)
Developmental Biology8800 (32)8600 (25)6200 (30)5600 (37)4900 (36)3700 (39)2800 (32)
Ecology12900 (20)11800 (32)8900 (45)10300 (20)7900 (21)5600 (9)3200 (5)
Evolutionary Biology12900 (43)12100 (66)8100 (63)9000 (44)7100 (39)5300 (25)4200 (27)
Genetics and Genomics11300 (71)10400 (64)8500 (49)8600 (71)5500 (57)4200 (49)4200 (44)
Immunology7500 (17)8200 (13)4800 (12)7600 (12)4100 (15)5600 (12)2000 (12)
Infectious Diseases8700 (17)11300 (21)6500 (14)6900 (9)5200 (18)7400 (6)1800 (8)
Microbiology8200 (18)8300 (28)6200 (25)9300 (22)4800 (17)4300 (12)2400 (12)
Molecular Biology11200 (38)9200 (36)6000 (45)5700 (54)4700 (36)3800 (33)3200 (26)
Neuroscience9900 (26)10600 (41)5200 (49)5300 (58)6400 (50)4100 (50)2700 (36)
Physiology15500 (9)14900 (13)5700 (16)5400 (11)4800 (9)3600 (12)2600 (8)
Plant Biology11600 (4)10100 (9)7200 (11)7100 (8)4900 (12)4200 (5)2600 (9)
All Research Articles regardless of topic10000 (176)9800 (176)7600 (185)6900 (203)5600 (197)4300 (181)3200 (160)

PLoS Computational Biology

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20062007200820092010
Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)
Biochemistry5600 (96)3300 (237)2200 (448)1400 (717)900 (879)
Cell Biology5600 (147)3300 (392)2300 (756)1500 (1256)900 (1378)
Developmental Biology5800 (79)3700 (199)2600 (351)1700 (531)1000 (525)
Evolutionary Biology6300 (214)4500 (366)3700 (461)2800 (565)1700 (607)
Genetics and Genomics5700 (310)4100 (640)2900 (1058)1800 (1542)1200 (1515)
Immunology5000 (111)3000 (243)2000 (470)1500 (717)900 (798)
Infectious Diseases5900 (226)3400 (422)2400 (782)1600 (1118)1000 (1350)
Mathematics8000 (39)3700 (81)2900 (131)2100 (200)1500 (209)
Microbiology5100 (177)4000 (249)2500 (437)1500 (658)1000 (769)
Molecular Biology5900 (138)3600 (307)2400 (496)1700 (805)1100 (757)
Neuroscience6200 (102)3800 (302)2900 (599)1900 (816)1200 (838)
All Research Articles regardless of topic4100 (136)3500 (203)3100 (251)2200 (343)1500 (321)

PLoS Genetics

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20062007200820092010
Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)
Biochemistry5300 (13)3200 (16)3000 (26)1500 (29)1200 (39)
Cell Biology3800 (24)3100 (38)2700 (77)1600 (97)1100 (84)
Computational Biology4800 (55)4900 (31)3600 (44)2500 (57)2100 (37)
Developmental Biology4400 (25)3700 (39)2900 (68)1800 (78)1300 (81)
Evolutionary Biology4300 (63)4800 (55)4400 (64)2200 (88)1800 (72)
Infectious Diseases4800 (11)2700 (7)2400 (13)2700 (15)1500 (12)
Microbiology4500 (18)3000 (17)3000 (24)1700 (40)1200 (34)
Molecular Biology3700 (15)3300 (46)2700 (81)1800 (116)1400 (92)
Neuroscience4400 (5)4300 (12)3100 (21)1700 (20)900 (14)
Oncology5000 (11)3000 (7)2500 (8)1600 (11)1800 (17)
Plant Biology4500 (9)3900 (8)2700 (17)2200 (28)1400 (17)
All Research Articles regardless of topic4500 (172)4300 (210)3400 (325)2100 (436)1500 (376)

PLoS Medicine

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200520062007200820092010
Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)
Cardiovascular Disorders6400 (9)5200 (25)2700 (51)2700 (103)1500 (182)900 (223)
Diabetes and Endocrinology7500 (14)7000 (31)4500 (64)2600 (139)1600 (215)1100 (229)
Genetics and Genomics7500 (163)5700 (310)4100 (640)2900 (1058)1800 (1542)1200 (1515)
Immunology5700 (43)5000 (111)3000 (243)2000 (470)1500 (717)900 (798)
Infectious Diseases7400 (85)5900 (226)3400 (422)2400 (782)1600 (1118)1000 (1350)
Neuroscience9400 (63)6200 (102)3800 (302)2900 (599)1900 (816)1200 (838)
Non-Clinical Medicine11400 (16)9900 (46)7500 (35)5100 (26)1700 (44)1600 (59)
Oncology7800 (22)5900 (61)3200 (115)2500 (192)1600 (415)900 (454)
Pediatrics and Child Health4600 (4)5800 (17)4800 (41)3100 (66)1500 (101)900 (111)
Public Health and Epidemiology7600 (47)7300 (133)5000 (206)3600 (356)2000 (461)1200 (599)
Virology6100 (36)5900 (83)3400 (190)2400 (302)1700 (478)1100 (531)
Women's Health5600 (6)4800 (14)3900 (17)3000 (41)2800 (55)1000 (62)
All Research Articles regardless of topic7200 (86)6300 (145)6500 (135)9200 (110)5300 (77)3300 (74)

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases

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200820092010
Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)
Biochemistry2200 (448)1400 (717)900 (879)
Cell Biology2300 (756)1500 (1256)900 (1378)
Evolutionary Biology3700 (461)2800 (565)1700 (607)
Genetics and Genomics2900 (1058)1800 (1542)1200 (1515)
Immunology2000 (470)1500 (717)900 (798)
Microbiology2500 (437)1500 (658)1000 (769)
Molecular Biology2400 (496)1700 (805)1100 (757)
Public Health and Epidemiology3600 (356)2000 (461)1200 (599)
Virology2400 (302)1700 (478)1100 (531)
All Research Articles regardless of topic2400 (133)1100 (178)700 (247)

PLoS ONE

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2007200820092010
Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)
Biochemistry3300 (237)2200 (448)1400 (717)900 (879)
Biophysics3700 (114)2200 (197)1500 (339)900 (331)
Biotechnology3800 (88)2700 (179)2000 (230)1100 (260)
Cardiovascular Disorders2700 (51)2700 (103)1500 (182)900 (223)
Cell Biology3300 (392)2300 (756)1500 (1256)900 (1378)
Chemical Biology5800 (32)2700 (57)1600 (95)1000 (102)
Computational Biology3900 (381)2700 (578)2000 (771)1200 (849)
Computer Science5000 (17)3500 (54)3300 (82)1500 (123)
Dermatology3700 (12)2500 (40)1600 (61)1100 (63)
Developmental Biology3700 (199)2600 (351)1700 (531)1000 (525)
Diabetes and Endocrinology4500 (64)2600 (139)1600 (215)1100 (229)
Ecology5100 (152)3600 (259)2700 (344)1300 (513)
Evidence-Based Healthcare5300 (20)9000 (50)3100 (67)1400 (92)
Evolutionary Biology4500 (366)3700 (461)2800 (565)1700 (607)
Gastroenterology and Hepatology3800 (43)2000 (77)1400 (122)800 (157)
Genetics and Genomics4100 (640)2900 (1058)1800 (1542)1200 (1515)
Hematology3200 (34)2500 (68)1500 (100)900 (112)
Immunology3000 (243)2000 (470)1500 (717)900 (798)
Infectious Diseases3400 (422)2400 (782)1600 (1118)1000 (1350)
Marine and Aquatic Sciencesn/an/a2500 (61)1700 (156)
Mathematics3700 (81)2900 (131)2100 (200)1500 (209)
Mental Health5800 (31)8100 (64)2600 (91)1800 (112)
Microbiology4000 (249)2500 (437)1500 (658)1000 (769)
Molecular Biology3600 (307)2400 (496)1700 (805)1100 (757)
Neurological Disorders3600 (94)2900 (200)1600 (319)1100 (396)
Neuroscience3800 (302)2900 (599)1900 (816)1200 (838)
Non-Clinical Medicine7500 (35)5100 (26)1700 (44)1600 (59)
Nutrition6400 (31)6800 (42)1900 (106)1400 (95)
Oncology3200 (115)2500 (192)1600 (415)900 (454)
Ophthalmology2500 (14)2200 (34)1800 (42)800 (65)
Pathology2900 (40)2600 (94)1700 (160)1000 (170)
Pediatrics and Child Health4800 (41)3100 (66)1500 (101)900 (111)
Pharmacology3900 (41)2400 (93)1600 (136)1000 (188)
Physics3800 (21)2600 (48)1900 (57)2200 (81)
Physiology4300 (97)2500 (213)1500 (288)1000 (339)
Plant Biology3700 (60)3300 (110)1800 (145)1200 (163)
Public Health and Epidemiology5000 (206)3600 (356)2000 (461)1200 (599)
Radiology and Medical Imaging5600 (24)3700 (50)1600 (66)1100 (79)
Respiratory Medicine4000 (30)2800 (46)1800 (104)1500 (118)
Rheumatology3400 (16)2400 (19)1500 (54)800 (55)
Virology3400 (190)2400 (302)1700 (478)1100 (531)
Women's Health3900 (17)3000 (41)2800 (55)1000 (62)
All Research Articles regardless of topic3000 (1229)2200 (2716)1600 (4400)900 (5250)

PLoS Pathogens

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20062007200820092010
Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)Avg (n)
Biochemistry5600 (96)3300 (237)2200 (448)1400 (717)900 (879)
Cell Biology5600 (147)3300 (392)2300 (756)1500 (1256)900 (1378)
Computational Biology5600 (244)3900 (381)2700 (578)2000 (771)1200 (849)
Evolutionary Biology6300 (214)4500 (366)3700 (461)2800 (565)1700 (607)
Genetics and Genomics5700 (310)4100 (640)2900 (1058)1800 (1542)1200 (1515)
Immunology5000 (111)3000 (243)2000 (470)1500 (717)900 (798)
Microbiology5100 (177)4000 (249)2500 (437)1500 (658)1000 (769)
Molecular Biology5900 (138)3600 (307)2400 (496)1700 (805)1100 (757)
Pathology5600 (29)2900 (40)2600 (94)1700 (160)1000 (170)
Public Health and Epidemiology7300 (133)5000 (206)3600 (356)2000 (461)1200 (599)
Virology5900 (83)3400 (190)2400 (302)1700 (478)1100 (531)
All Research Articles regardless of topic4200 (97)3500 (172)2700 (271)1800 (423)1300 (415)

Notes

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