If you are an already published author, you may know how important the number of citations to your research work is. For those who are students or someone just here to know how it all works, read on!
A citation can be simply defined as “a reference to the source of information used in your research”. The amount of papers you publish is important to your career. However, the number of time your work gets cited by others is even more vital as it shows the impact your research has in that particular field. Increasing citations may help in securing funding for your research too as agencies look at combination as well as number citation made in a paper before making decisions on research grants.
Here are 10 things that you should keep in mind in order to be a well-published and frequently cited author:
- Cite your own previous work(s)
It is always a good idea to cite your previous work in your current or ongoing paper but it only if your previous work is relevant to your new one. However, it is not advised to cite every work you have ever done to increase your citations. To someone evaluating your work, it may give off a vibe that you may not want them to have.
- Select unique keywords
Based on the topic of your research paper, choose a handful of keywords (4-6) that you feel researchers in your field will be using to search for data. Try incorporating them throughout your paper, using them on abstract, headings or subheadings and making sure it is not repetitive.
- Keep your name consistent in all your work
This may not seem as interesting but it is also true that keep your name consistent on all your works will help you get the credits that you deserve. Apart from paper, use the same technique on your emails and email signatures, preferably a professional one. If you have a fairly common name, consider getting a research identifier such as an ORCID.
- Crosscheck your data before you publish
Aside from reading, re-reading and proofreading your paper, do the same for any data that will help connect a researcher back to you. Incorrect information may make an author drop your citation altogether.
- Share part of your information to the public
Platforms like SlideShare, Datacite, Figshare or Wikipedia can help your work reach out more people irrespective of your work available for a fee or open to all. If your paper is open access, publish your pre or post-publication work to a repository.
- Socialize and present your paper at conferences
Conferences are the best place for any researcher to understand the current trends in a particular. While this may not dramatically increase citations of your work, it sure will boost more visibility to your work. And besides that, building connections always prove to be helpful in any field of work.
- Share and let others know what you’re doing
Use your social media pages to announce what you’re working on especially the interesting tidbits of it without giving away much. Best places would promote would be LinkedIn, Twitter, Reddit, and Facebook Quora and Google+.
- Publish a review
Reviews are considered to be one of the highest qualities of research; hence they are cited very often. Since you must have reviewed research work for your own paper, it will be a good idea to post a review as well.
- Cite your colleagues to get cited yourself
If you use your colleagues work as citations in your own work, It will not only provide more dimension to your work but it will likely increase their chances of citing your work as well.
- Publish your work in a well-renowned journal
Since a majority of researchers would choose a work that is published in one of the top journals in their field, publishing in one of them will boost your visibility even further as researchers would trust your work more.
