American Indian Culture and Research Journal

Approximately twenty years ago, American Indian studies programs surfaced in academic institutions in the United States. Some institutions emphasized research, while others focused on teaching, cultural activities, and community service functions. As Russell Thornton explained, the emergence of these programs differed from the histories of most previously existing disciplines. The fundamental difference is that, historically, a discipline came first, followed by its structural component (faculties, courses, and programs). In the case of American Indian studies, the structural element preceded the formalization of intellectual issues. There is still debate over the disciplinary validity of American Indian studies. A standard measure of a discipline is its ability to generate and sustain a scholarly body of literature. Citation analysis is one method for examining and classifying that literature. Citation analysis can examine the scholarly literature emanating from American Indian studies and address questions such as, Who are the most frequently cited authors? Which subject areas receive frequent citation? What are the ages of the most frequently cited works? Which works, including scholarly journals, receive the most citation?