Characteristics of Frequently Cited Articles in Learning Disabilities

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to identify and characterize prominent journal publications in the learning disabilities field from 1976 to 1985. Based on the frequency of citations in the Social Science Citation Index, 33 prominent articles were identified. Prominent (frequently cited) articles were compared with randomly selected articles on a number of characteristics (e.g., funding source, research design, statistical method). Implications related to the characteristics and quality of articles that influence the learning disability field were discussed.

Determinants of academic recognition: The case of the Journal of Applied Psychology..

“…Following a well-established precedent in psychology and sociology (e.g., Clark, 1957; Cole & Cole, 1967; Oromaner, 1983; Swanson & Trahan, 1986), we operationalized recognition in this study by the number of citations scientists receive for the articles they publish. In general, citations have been used across such other diverse scientific areas as economics (Quandt, 1976), marketing (Robinson & Adler, 1981), and accounting (Brown & Gardner, 1985; Hagerman & Hagerman, 1989) to measure the level and nature of scientific impact.…”

“…Citations then become income, or the coin of the realm in academia. A citation serves as recognition that one scientist's work has in some way influenced the work of another scientist (Clark, 1957; Cole & Cole, 1967; Gottfredson, 1978; Myers, 1970; Oromaner, 1983; Rushton, 1984; Swanson & Trahan, 1986; Walberg, Rasher, & Mantel, 1977; Ziman, 1968). As such, a citation count is one way that researchers can gauge their influence on the remainder of the scientific community.…”