Writing a research paper requires time and a special approach from a scientific researcher. It is not possible to quickly deal with this task, as many aspects need to be taken into account. Often, researchers neglect some rules and standards of writing a scientific paper, which negatively affects both the text of the work itself and the author's authority. In attempts to save time and effort, specialists resort to dishonest methods of work. For example, this remark concerns academic integrity.
It is quite possible that the author unconsciously violates some principles of work, focusing solely on the content of their research. A scientist may think that they need to prove their competence and knowledge by any means necessary, so they may overlook some details. The latter may relate to excessive self-citation as a tool to supplement their work. Why should we consider excluding self-citation from the work and what are the consequences of its use, will be discussed in this article.
The basics of academic integrity imply writing a quality scientific research paper that avoids plagiarism, borrowing others' thoughts without proper attribution, and disproportionate copying of authors' assumptions without presenting personal ideas. It is unacceptable to write a scientific paper by literally repeating the text of the source referenced by the author, as well as to build one's own research by referring to one's own developments.
No matter what these references are, whether it's a quote from the author's previous work or an indirect transmission of thoughts, again from their own research, the amount of self-citation is strictly regulated. Exceeding such regulations will have negative consequences both on the author's work (at the very least, their work will be subject to criticism, and at most, if the research is intended for submission to prestigious national publications or journals in some of the most influential citation databases like Scopus or WoS, the research will not pass any of the initial stages of review and therefore will not be accepted for publication), as well as on the author's reputation in the scientific community. So why do authors, knowing the threats of self-citation to their status and scientific standing, still resort to self-citation?
Reasons for self-citation:
One reason is an attempt to develop one's own scientific research. To a scientist, a successful way to extend the life of their scientific topic may seem to create similar works. It is fair that the author aims to continue working on a specific issue and thoroughly explore the problems of a particular topic, but it is completely unjustified if from one study to another the author repeats their thoughts and references their own works. Each subsequent scientific work must necessarily be an original research and contain novelty.
Completely unethical and unacceptable, is considered the author's attempt to include self-citation in their subsequent works in order to expand the work. It should be remembered that each type of work is aimed at revealing the author's strengths, talents, and abilities. A truly valuable concept, which should be developed in a scientific text, cannot be introduced into a work that the author artificially "grows".
Another partly deceptive assumption is the assertion of one's own authority. The scientist hopes that by referring to their own research, they will confirm the results of their current work and demonstrate their expertise. Although this assertion partly makes sense, it can be noted that an experienced researcher does not necessarily need to reference their own works to prove a sufficient level of knowledge and confirm their competencies in working with the topic.
Justifying the reliability of the methodology used may be one way to justify the author's desire to resort to self-citation. It should be emphasized that, indeed, referencing previous research helps in explaining the methodology of the current research. However, self-citation in this case should be limited to these same boundaries and not spill over into uncontrolled transfer of thoughts from one work to another.
What is self-citation?
Self-citation is the author's attempt to use ideas from their previous works in the current research by referencing them. The proportion of self-citation in a work should not exceed 12%, otherwise it will be considered a violation of academic standards.
What is the problem with self-citation?
- It is a violation of academic standards and an artificial inflation of one's metrics. Metrics and citations are important components of every researcher's work that must be carefully considered. Self-citation is not an acceptable way to boost one's scientific activity results as it does not reflect the true assessment of the specific author's scientific contribution.
- It indicates the loss of objectivity by the author, who over time ceases to see their mistakes and relies on work done earlier.
- The problem with self-citation also lies in the fact that the author starts to disregard opposing arguments. Clearly, to remain in the forefront of scientific knowledge, it is necessary to listen to different points of view.
- Self-citation undermines the author's prestige, limiting them within the framework of their own works. An author who does not see or refuses to acknowledge other research automatically loses the respect of the scientific community and their trust.
- No prestigious publication will agree to publish a work containing an excessive number of references to the author's own previous research. Otherwise, the likelihood of predatory publishing is very high.
Is self-citation worth resorting to at all?
Certainly, self-citation is not devoid of merit; moreover, it can be beneficial if the following points are considered:
- Self-citation is appropriate and does not violate academic ethics standards if it introduces an element of diversity and serves to enhance the work.
- It is necessary to familiarize oneself with the journal's requirements. If the publication does not allow a certain level of self-citation, the work should be revised to reduce its quantity. Justification for self-citation and prevention of excessive usage should be the author's primary concern.
- In a minimal amount, self-citation positively impacts the overall citation level of the work. Self-citation can be included in the work for the purpose of promoting the written material.
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