Early citation advantage?

[Ian Rowlands]

Several recent studies (e.g. Thomson Scientific, Eysenbach) have indicated that
open access articles are more likely to be cited sooner than tolled access
articles.  This is an argument that, on the face of it, provides a powerful
argument for open access: it speeds up scientific workflow.  Can anyone supply
a testable hypothesis for this?  I can quite easily understand how open access
leads to MORE use, thus higher citation.  But speedier citation?  What are the
plausible cause and effect arguments here?

Ian Rowlands
UCL Centre for Publishing
www.publishing.ucl.ac.uk