ABS: Case, How can we investigate citation behavior? A study of reasons for citing

[Gretchen Whitney]

Case DO, Higgins GM "How can we investigate citation behavior? A  study of
reasons for citing"  JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMA TION
SCIENCE 51: (7) 635-645 MAY 2000

Author e-mail: dcase at ukcc.uky.edu

 Document type: Article    Language: English    Cited References: 38
Times Cited: 0

Abstract:
Authors' motivations for citing documents are addressed through a literature
review and an empirical study.
Replicating an investigation in psychology, the works of two highly-cited
authors in the discipline of communication were identified, and all of the
authors who cited them during the period 1995-1997 were surveyed. The
instrument posed 32 questions about why a certain document was cited, plus
questions about the citer's relationship to the cited author and document.
Most findings were similar to the psychology study, including a tendency to
cite "concept markers" representing a genre of work. Authors in
communication were more likely to have an interpersonal connection to cited
authors, and to cite literature reviews-their most common reason for
citation. Three types of judgments about cited works were found to best
predict citation: (1) that the work was novel, well-known, and a
concept-marker; (2) that citing it might promote the authority of one's own
work; and (3) that the work deserved criticism. Suggestions are made for
further research, especially regarding the anomalous role of creativity in
cited works.

KeyWords Plus:
CLASSIFICATION, JOURNALS, CITE

Addresses:
Case DO, Univ Kentucky, Sch Lib & Informat Sci, Coll Commun & Informat
Studies, 502 King Lib S, Lexington, KY
40506 USA.
Univ Kentucky, Sch Lib & Informat Sci, Coll Commun & Informat Studies,
Lexington, KY 40506 USA.

Publisher:
JOHN WILEY & SONS INC, NEW YORK

IDS Number:
307KA

Cited Author                     Cited Work                     Volume
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