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| Theoretical Basis and Empirical Research of Citation Discontinuance |
| Li Hao, Hou Jianhua, Zhang Yang |
| School of Information Management, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006 |
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Abstract Citation analysis is an important method for tracking and evaluating the spread and impact of scientific knowledge. However, existing research often focuses only on the diffusion process of citations and neglects the phenomenon of citation discontinuance, which refers to a situation in which a document is not cited again within a certain period after its first citation. Conceptualizing and quantitatively studying this phenomenon requires the systematic construction of a theoretical foundation and an analytical framework for citation discontinuance. By considering theories such as the diffusion of innovations, literature obsolescence, scientific paradigm shifts, and knowledge evolution, this paper provides theoretical explanations for the phenomenon of citation discontinuance, analyzes its connotations, and distinguishes between three types of citation trajectories: complete, transient, and intermittent citation discontinuance. Based on this, this study designed a quantitative identification method for citation discontinuance and conducted an empirical analysis. The proposed concept of citation discontinuance further reveals the durability and nonlinear characteristics of citation diffusion, aiming to provide new insights for modeling citation diffusion. This study also constructed an analytical framework for citation discontinuance to help scientific research institutions and researchers better understand the impact and timeliness of research outcomes, with the expectation of further enhancing the explanatory power of citation analysis methods and citation diffusion research in practical applications, such as literature lifecycle management and scientific evaluation.
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Received: 19 September 2024
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