Citation Theories

     There are many theories about citations. In my opinion, those are generally categorized into two groups. One is the group, which focuses on the intellectual property right of authors. The other is the group, which focuses on the previous achievement.

     The former theories, which are more widely accepted than the latter, propose that citations are used to recognize and acknowledge the intellectual property rights of authors. They are a matter of ethics and a defense against plagiarism. For example, Ravetz (1971) states that citations operate as a kind of mutual reward system rather than pay other authors money for their contributions.

     The latter theories, which are well-established in scientific fields, propose that citations are used to show respect to previous scholars. They recognize the history of the field by acknowledging previous achievements. These theories may include the idea that citation is used as “authority” because “authority” is built up of many previous studies. For instance, Gilbert (1977) states that citations are tools of persuasion; writers use citations to give their statements greater authority.  Similarly, Bavelas (1978) mentions that citations are used to supply evidence that the author qualifies as a member of the chosen scholarly community; citations are used to demonstrate familiarity with the field. Moreover, previous achievements inspire new idea of research because previous studies often have some flaws and provide some questions about topics. Swales (1990) suggests that citations are used to create a research space for the citing author. By describing what has been done, citations point the way to what has not been done so prepare a space for new research.