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How the high-impact papers formed? A study using data from social media and citation

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  • Jianhua Hou

    (Sun Yat-Sen University)

  • Da Ma

    (Sun Yat-Sen University)

Abstract

Research on the formation structure and characteristics of top-impact papers can serve as the basis for the construction of social media-based information communication pattern, and guide papers to gain high attention in both the Internet and academia. In this study, we used the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to assign index weights for comprehensive impact (CI) and uses this to determine high-impact papers (HIP). By analyzing evaluation indexes and text attributes, as well as by comparing the characteristics of high-citation papers (HCPs) and HIPs, we elucidated the mechanism of HIPs formation. For this, we extracted all data (2630 articles) from PLoS Biology (2009–2018) as our objects of analysis. In addition, a structural diagram was used to summarize the results. The study results revealed that academic and social impacts of HIPs are interdependent and complementary. The indicators’ variation frequency and amplitude of HIPs are far higher than those of HCPs. Two indicators are constituting the direct impact source for HIPs. Redundant keyword and title do not significantly contribute to the impact of the paper. Under a moderate number of conditions, the more collaborative the paper, the more it is recommended and communicated. Although citation remains the most widely accepted index of a paper, researchers should not ignore the impact of papers via social media.

Suggested Citation

  • Jianhua Hou & Da Ma, 2020. "How the high-impact papers formed? A study using data from social media and citation," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 125(3), pages 2597-2615, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:125:y:2020:i:3:d:10.1007_s11192-020-03703-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-020-03703-2
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