I know that citation will help in getting high score in Research Gate and high index in Google Scholar. But do you think that getting high score or high index is an indicator of a good researcher?
Hi, Jamal,
Citations are rough indications of the widespread influence of a body of work, but I am quite uncomfortable considering citations as an indication of the quality of a body of work. One cannot tell why any specific source is cited merely from a look at the citation count.
For example, I participated as a junior contributor to some research on gay and lesbian adoptive parents that was published in 2005. Because this body of work was among the first to focus exclusively on gay and lesbian adoptive families, anyone doing research in this area is quite likely to feel it necessary to cite this work. In this case, I think it is quite clear that the citation count reflects the primacy, not the quality, of the research.
Furthermore, it is relative easy to imagine controversial findings to be cited, not in a supportive manner, but in a controversial way. Even low quality research might earn a significant citation count as others work toward refuting the findings.
These links may help you
https://falconediting.com/en/blog/6-reasons-why-citation-of-sources-is-important-when-writing
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3804522/
https://student.unsw.edu.au/why-referencing-important
Properly citing the works of others is important because:
1- Proper citation allows readers to locate the materials you used. Citations to other sources help readers expand their knowledge on a topic. In most social sciences disciplines, one of the most effective strategies for locating authoritative, relevant sources about a topic is to follow footnotes or references from known sources ["citation tracking"].
2- Citing other people's words and ideas indicates that you have conducted a thorough review of the literature on your topic and, therefore, you are operating from an informed perspective. This increases your credibility as the author of the work.
3- Other researcher's ideas can be used to reinforce your arguments, or, if you disagree with them, can act as positions from which to argue an alternative viewpoint. In many cases, another researcher's arguments can act as the primary context from which you can emphasize a different viewpoint or to clarify the importance of what you are proposing.
4- Just as other researcher's ideas can bolster your arguments and act as evidence for your ideas, they can also detract from your credibility if they are found to be mistaken or fabricated. Properly citing information not unique to you prevents your reputation from being tarnished if the facts or ideas of others are proven to be inaccurate or off-base.
5- Outside academe, ideas are considered intellectual property and there can serious repercussions if you fail to cite where you got an idea from. In the professional world, failure to cite other people's intellectual property ruins careers and reputations and can result in legal action. Given this, it is important to get into the habit of citing sources.
You can check these publications
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Books