Highlights
- •Retrieval of useful scientific information leaves many important data unrecognized.
- •Redundant information from generic KWs discourages searching and citation.
- •A rational KW choice narrows the target, optimizing scientific information exchange.
- •Selecting focused KWs improves diffusion-citation of relevant scientific knowledge.
- •Suitable formulas to trial and error reshape KWs optimize the chances of citation.
Abstract
Background
The expansion of scientific publications makes more difficult the mining of relevant
information necessary for a productive appraisal of authors' work, scientific interaction
and exchange. Papers over-citation is unproductive, under-citation of innovative research
generates delay and inefficiency. The extraction of information from the literature
is mostly based on keywords (KWs).
Methods
I computed the chances of citation of one paper as 1/number of papers retrieved by
the KWs published in that paper, and compared them with the chances obtained by selecting
different KWs.
Results
Using generic KWs the chances are smaller, at times practically nil, as compared to
those calculated with more specific KWs and their association.
Conclusions
Selecting scientifically-analyzed KWs, specific for the message conveyed by a paper
and computing beforehand the theoretical chances of citation, might increase the citations
obtained, the retrieval of important scientific and innovative information, optimize
scientific exchange and qualitative productivity.
Learning points
- •Retrieval of useful scientific information leaves many important data unrecognized when the KWs selected display a large number of papers.
- •Redundant information yielded by generic KWs discourages searching and favors the citation of articles published on established and well reputed journals.
- •A more rational use of KWs narrows the target, offering more selected information, while optimizing the exchange of scientific data and hypothesis.
- •Appropriately selected KWs might improve the access to, and the diffusion-citation of relevant scientific knowledge.
- •Trial and error reshaping of KWs allows their best selection to improve the chances of citation, that can be computed by appropriate formulas.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 03, 2018
Accepted:
December 18,
2017
Received:
December 14,
2017
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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- How to win space in medical journals: Bits and tipsEuropean Journal of Internal MedicineVol. 50
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