The thesis investigates the proper~es> CQftW,o,'tpeIljs or time series which forme:! a:part of the Co,-(lj.tation ~iometr1c model "X~Ray Crystallography ~a.n1, Pr.otein Determination in, 1978., 1980 and 1982". This madeJ-Was ope of seveI'aJ. orea;te:l, for ~'19.83, ABRC Science PollcyStl,Jdywhi,oh ~ to test the utility of bibliometric modelS in a natiOnal soienoe polley context·. 'l!he outcome of the vaJidat:l.on part of that, study pr~ to ,be espeoia.Uyfavourahle coIlOeI'Iling 'the utilitY Qf trend da.~., which purport to model the developnerrt of ~ty areas, in SQ,ienoe, over tUne. This assessment QO'Ul4l, have important implioatiOI;lS' for the use of such data in policy formulation. However one '~le problem with the Science POlicy Study I S conolusiQr)S ~ ,tPa.:t insufficient time was ava i 1 ahle in the study fOr an m-depth a;na.1. ysis of the data. - The thesis aims to conti.:nu.e the vg.lidationbegl:ln in- 'the' ABRC study by providing a detailoo.exam:b;lationQf t1il.e ' " characteristics of the data conta.:inaiin the 'lTetlds ~~ ,];jJ' ' ani 44 in the model. A novel methodology for' the ~¥s±S;Qib~~:, properties of the trends with respeot to,tb.el;,rliter~-gure~~t; is presenta:l. This is followf;rl by an assessrnei:):t',j ~,on, " ': questionna.ire ani iIlterview data: of the Qibi'l;tyOf 'l'i"e:t',id 44, t~' ", reaJistioall y model the bistoriQAld.evelQprneI).t Qf' the £,ie,ig'Q£.: mobile genetic elements research, over time; witm;resp,eettQ :tts, scientific content and the aCltivities ()f:its:~t~t ,Of' , researchers. ' , , evaluate = ~~f ~~: ~~re:~~~~i: approach to the mQdelll:ng of the a.ctiVities ,·af:sc.tentif:iic fjle;~tc~h A critical eva:l.~tion of the, origXbs of'. tn.e.~~, ~\tr~;' ani weaknesses. iA the assumptions "uni~jlyipg; ~. teollrd~;~ to generate tr~ fromoo.-citationqata;, is, '1'l'<;>Vta'ej,: •. 11~.i:b1e~, . improvements. to the modelling techniques are discussed.