Long Papers and Lots of References = More Citations (in Tribology, at Least!)

Overview

Paper Summary › Explain Like I'm Five › Conflicts of Interest › Identified Limitations › Rating Explanation › Good to know › Topic Hierarchy › File Information ›

Paper Summary

Paperzilla title

This study examined factors influencing citations of tribology papers, finding positive correlations with manuscript length and number of references. Other factors like authorship and open access showed varying effects. The study concludes that these non-scientific factors can influence citations but emphasizes responsible authorship and publication practices.

Explain Like I'm Five

Scientists found that science papers are like stories: the longer they are and the more other stories they mention, the more people notice and use them.

Possible Conflicts of Interest

None identified

Identified Limitations

Weak Correlation Strength

The study acknowledges the low R-squared values, indicating weak correlation strength. While a large sample size is used to argue for representativeness, the weak correlations suggest the analyzed factors have a limited influence on citation rates, raising questions about the robustness of the findings.

Over-Reliance on Citation Counts

While alternative metrics are mentioned, the study primarily relies on citation counts. This neglects the broader context of research impact and the limitations of citation-based metrics, which are increasingly recognized.

Limited Generalizability

The study focuses on tribology journals, limiting the generalizability of the findings to other disciplines. The influence of the analyzed factors on citations could vary significantly across different fields of research.

Incomplete Analysis of Influencing Factors

While some factors like manuscript length and number of references are considered, other potential factors (e.g., article novelty, research design, and methodological rigor) are not examined, which may play more important roles in determining citation count.

Rating Explanation

This study provides a decent analysis of factors affecting citation counts in tribology journals, but several limitations prevent a higher rating. The weak correlations, limited generalizability, over-reliance on citation counts, and incomplete analysis of factors suggest a need for further research. The study does offer some useful insights, but the conclusions are not particularly groundbreaking and should be interpreted with caution.

Good to know

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Topic Hierarchy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Field: Engineering

Subfield: Mechanical Engineering

File Information

Original Title: Factors affecting the citations of papers in tribology journals

Uploaded: July 14, 2025 at 05:13 PM

Privacy: Public