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Succinct effect or informative effect: the relationship between title length and the number of citations

Author

Listed:
  • Feng Guo

    (Shanghai University of Finance and Economics)

  • Chao Ma

    (Southeast University
    Yale University)

  • Qingling Shi

    (East China Normal University
    East China Normal University)

  • Qingqing Zong

    (Shanghai University of Finance and Economics)

Abstract

Previous studies produced mixed results with respect to the correlation between title length and number of citations. This research aims to provide a new explanation for this controversy by examining one of the largest pools of papers to date, containing over 300,000 economics papers spanning a much longer time period (1956–2012). The results show that correlation between title length and the number of citations is negative between 1956 and 2000, but becomes positive after 2000, when online searches became the predominant method for literature retrieval. Moreover, heterogeneity analyses show that longer titles are especially crucial for papers with relatively lower influence, which researchers can typically only access using online searches.

Suggested Citation

  • Feng Guo & Chao Ma & Qingling Shi & Qingqing Zong, 2018. "Succinct effect or informative effect: the relationship between title length and the number of citations," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 116(3), pages 1531-1539, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:116:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1007_s11192-018-2805-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-018-2805-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Citation; Title; Search; Scholarly impact;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A2 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics
    • Z1 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics

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