Reasons for citation; why would you cite an author or the work?
February 1, 2011 Leave a comment
What are the reasons and motivations for citing the work of others or yourself? Are all citations equal? I want to list as many reasons as I can find.
Following Lena Lindgren I will distinguish 3 kinds of reasons: Publication dependent, author dependent or other reasons. I will use Lena’s set as base set but I will add some more reasons as I collect them along the way.
Publication-dependent reasons
- Identify related body of work
- earlier work on which current work builds
- Best/most relevant work on the subject
- Substantiate claims/establish precedence
- No other sources of data
- Using/giving credit to ideas, concepts, theories, methodology, and empirical findings by others.
- Identifying original publications in which an idea or concept was discussed, ‘classics’.
- Mentions of other works (‘see also’, ‘see for example’) without further reference.
- The cited publication is an overview in the field.
- The content of the cited publication is of a high quality.
- Criticizing the work of others.
- Providing background reading, to give ‘completeness’.
- Substantiating, legitimating own statements or assumptions.
- Alerting to forthcoming work.
- The cited publication is frequently cited by other authors in the field.
- The cited publication has been seriously criticized by other authors in the field.
- The cited publication is a recent one on a ‘hot’ topic.
- Critically analyze/correct earlier work
- Of equally valid sources, chose this one
- Ease of access to the cited work
Author-dependent reasons
- Establish writer’s authority in the field
- Paying homage to pioneers/giving credit for related work.
- Ceremonial citation, the author of the cited publication is regarded as ‘authoritative’.
- The author of the cited publication is a man.
- The cited publication is written by a large number of co-authors.
- Maintaining of professional and/or social connections.
Other reasons
- Demonstrating familiarity with important literature.
- Demonstrating familiarity with prestigious journals.
- Demonstrate scholarship (e.g. excessive self-citation).
- Appealing to editors, readers or reviewers in which the citing publication is published.
- The cited publication is easily available for examination.
- Political pressure
- Raise citation count
Related Articles
- To be the best, cite the best (nature.com)