The correlation between paper length and citations: a meta-analysis

Juan Xie, Kaile Gong, Ying Cheng () and Qing Ke
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Juan Xie: Nanjing University
Kaile Gong: Nanjing University
Ying Cheng: Nanjing University
Qing Ke: Nanjing University

Scientometrics, 2019, vol. 118, issue 3, No 3, 763-786

Abstract: Abstract Citation count is a widely used bibliometric indicator. It is influenced by many factors, some of which have been well investigated. This study investigated a more controversial relationship between paper length and citations. After systematic retrieval and selection of literature, we performed a random effects meta-analysis in which 24 effect sizes in 18 original studies were synthesized. The dataset included 1,548,088 papers. Meta-regression and subgroup analysis were used to identify factors moderating the correlation between paper length and citations. Tests of heterogeneity and publication bias were conducted to guarantee reliability, and statistical analysis via computer simulation was used to interpret the results of the heterogeneity test. We observed a moderate, positive correlation between paper length and citations (r = 0.310) from the dataset, and hence concluded that the longer a paper is, the more citations it receives. Citation windows and the perceived quality of journals were found to exert a moderating influence on the correlation.

Keywords: Paper length; Citations; Meta-analysis; Correlation; Meta regression (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11192-019-03015-0

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