Citation practices play a crucial role in academic literature, facilitating the acknowledgment of prior research and providing credibility and evidence for scholarly arguments. However, the process leading up to a citation is complex and multifaceted, involving various considerations and decision-making by authors. This study examines the citation practices in literature and aims to unravel the processes leading up to a citation. By analyzing the factors influencing citation decisions, such as relevance, authority, novelty, and impact, the research sheds light on the intricacies of citing sources in academic writing. The findings offer valuable insights into the dynamics of scholarly communication and contribute to the understanding of citation practices in the context of literature.

Citation practices, citation decisions, academic literature

American Psychological Association (2010), Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th ed., American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.

Bornmann, L. and Daniel, H. (2008), “What do citation counts measure? A review of studies on citing behavior”, Journal of Documentation, Vol. 64 No. 1, pp. 45-80, available at: https://doi.org/10.110 8/00220410810844150

Boyack, K.W., van Eck, N.J., Colavizza, G. and Waltman, L. (2018), “Characterizing in-text citations in scientific articles: a large-scale analysis”, Journal of Informetrics, Vol. 12 No. 1, pp. 59-73, available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2017.11.005

Eichorn, P. and Yankauer, A. (1987), “Do authors check their references? A survey of accuracy of references in three public health journals”, American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 77 No. 8, pp. 1011-1012, available at: https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.77.8.1011

Engber, D. (2017), “Bad footnotes can be deadly”, Slate, 11 June, available at: www.slate.com/articles/ health_and_science/science/2017/06/how_bad_footnotes_helped_cause_the_opioid_crisis.html (accessed 20 September 2017).

Evans, J.T., Nadjari, H.I. and Burchell, S.A. (1990), “Quotational and reference accuracy in surgical journals: a continuing peer review problem”, Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 263 No. 10, pp. 1353-1354, available at: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.1990.0 3440100059009

Falagas, M.E. and Alexiou, V.G. (2008), “The top-ten in journal impact factor manipulation”, Archivum Immunologiae et Therapiae Experimentalis, Vol. 56 No. 4, pp. 223-226, available at: https://doi. org/10.1007/s00005-008-0024-5

Fenton, J.E., Brazier, H., de Souza, A., Hughes, J.P. and McShane, D.P. (2000), “The accuracy of citation and quotation in otolaryngology/head and neck surgery journals”, Clinical Otolaryngology & Allied Sciences, Vol. 25 No.1, pp. 40–44, available at: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2273.2000.00322.x

Garzone, M. and Mercer, R.E. (2000), “Towards an automated citation classifier”, in Hamilton, H.J. (Ed.), Advances in Artificial Intelligence, Springer, Berlin and Heidelberg, pp. 337-346, available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-45486-1_28