How can you use citation tracking to follow research trends?

2 Why use citation tracking?

Citation tracking can help you stay updated and informed about the latest research in your area of interest or expertise. It can also help you evaluate the quality and relevance of a document by looking at how often and by whom it is cited. For example, if you are preparing a literature review or a report for your boss, you can use citation tracking to find the most authoritative and influential sources, and to avoid outdated or unreliable information. Citation tracking can also help you identify gaps and opportunities for further research or innovation.

4 What are the challenges of citation tracking?

Citation tracking is not a perfect or straightforward process, and there are some challenges and limitations that should be taken into account. For instance, citation practices vary across disciplines, journals, and publishers, and some documents may not cite all the sources they use or may cite them incorrectly or incompletely. Additionally, citation counts and metrics may not be the only indicators of quality and relevance. Research topics may have more or less citations depending on their popularity, novelty, or controversy, while some research outputs may not be in the form of documents but rather in the form of data, software, or media. As such, citation tracking may not capture the full scope and diversity of research.

5 How to improve your citation tracking skills?

Citation tracking is a critical skill for administrative assistants who need to find, organize, and present information from various sources. To enhance your citation tracking skills, you should learn how to use different information retrieval tools and their features. Compare and contrast the results from different tools, and evaluate their strengths and limitations. Additionally, you should develop a systematic and critical approach to citation tracking by defining your research question and scope, selecting the most relevant and reliable sources to track, analyzing the citation patterns and trends, and synthesizing the main findings and implications. Furthermore, it's important to keep track of your citation tracking process and results by recording the sources you use, the methods you apply, and the outcomes you obtain. Additionally, review and update your citation information regularly and cite your sources properly and ethically.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?