Using HistCite software to identify significant articles in subject searches of the Web of Science

HistCite TM is a large-scale computer tool for mapping science. Its power of visualization combines the production of historiographs on the basis of the analysis of co-citations of documents, with the use of bibliometrics specific indicators. The objective of this article is, to present the advantages of the new bibliometrics configuration of HistCite TM (2004) when identifying articles. The analysis of the histograms that produces HistCite TM , in terms of cumulative advantage and aging of the citations. And the comparative study of the results of HistCite TM , in its indicators of amplitude and recognition. Also is examined its treatment of the sampling problems, by formalizing the Kendall method of estimating the robust standard deviation.