The impact of a paper’s new combinations and new components on its citation

Yan Yan (), Shanwu Tian () and Jingjing Zhang ()
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Yan Yan: Renmin University of China
Shanwu Tian: Renmin University of China
Jingjing Zhang: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Scientometrics, 2020, vol. 122, issue 2, No 7, 895-913

Abstract: Abstract A paper’s novelty enhances its impact and citation. In this paper, we examine two dimensions of a paper’s novelty: new combinations and new components. We define new combinations as new pairs of knowledge elements in a related research area, and new components as new knowledge elements that have never appeared in a related research area previously. The importance of both dimensions is stressed, and we analyze the mechanisms that affect the frequency of a paper’s citation; we believe that a paper’s new combinations and new components both have an inverted U-shaped effect on its citation count. Utilizing a text-mining approach, we develop a novel method for constructing new combinations and new components using a paper’s keywords. Using keywords from papers published in the wind energy field between 2002 and 2015 as our sample, we conduct an empirical analysis on the above-mentioned relationships. To do so, we use the negative binomial regression method and several robustness tests. The results provide support for our hypotheses that propose a paper’s new combinations and new components significantly affect its impact. Specifically, new combinations and new components lead to more citation counts up to a specific threshold. When the number of new combinations and new components exceed the threshold, the paper is likely to be cited less frequently. Finally, we discuss the theoretical contributions, methodological contributions, and practical implications of these findings.

Keywords: Novelty; New combinations; New components; Citation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11192-019-03314-6

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