TY  - JOUR
AU  - Jaffe, Adam B
AU  - de Rassenfosse, Gaétan
TI  - Patent Citation Data in Social Science Research: Overview and Best Practices
JF  - National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series
VL  - No. 21868
PY  - 2016
Y2  - January 2016
DO  - 10.3386/w21868
UR  - http://www.nber.org/papers/w21868
L1  - http://www.nber.org/papers/w21868.pdf
N1  - Author contact info:
Adam B. Jaffe
188 Brookline Avenue
Apartment 26A
Boston, MA 02215
Tel: 857-277-9927
E-Mail: adam.jaffe@motu.org.nz

Gaétan de Rassenfosse
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
College of Management of Technology
Odyssea Station 5
CH-1015 Lausanne 
E-Mail: gaetan.derassenfosse@epfl.ch
AB  - The last two decades have witnessed a dramatic increase in the use of patent citation data in social science research. Facilitated by digitization of the patent data and increasing computing power, a community of practice has grown up that has developed methods for using these data to: measure attributes of innovations such as impact and originality; to trace flows of knowledge across individuals, institutions and regions; and to map innovation networks. The objective of this paper is threefold. First, it takes stock of these main uses. Second, it discusses four pitfalls associated with patent citation data, related to office, time and technology, examiner, and strategic effects. Third, it highlights gaps in our understanding and offers directions for future research.
ER  -