The relationship between quality of research and citation frequency

We evaluated all original research articles published in 1996 in four psychiatric journals. The statistical and reporting quality of each paper was assessed and the number of citations received up to 2005 was obtained from the Web of Science database. We then examined whether the number of citations was associated with the quality of the statistical analysis and reporting.A total of 448 research papers were included in the citation analysis. Unclear or inadequate reporting of the research question and primary outcome were not statistically significantly associated with the citation counts. After adjusting for journal, extended description of statistical procedures had a positive effect on the number of citations received. Inappropriate statistical analysis did not affect the number of citations received. Adequate reporting of the primary research question, statistical methods and primary findings were all associated with the journal visibility and prestige.In this cohort of published research, measures of reporting quality and appropriate statistical analysis were not associated with the number of citations. The journal in which a study is published appears to be as important as the statistical reporting quality in ensuring dissemination of published medical science.Citation by other authors is important in the dissemination of published study findings. The attention that scientific articles get can be assessed using citation analysis. In this context, Egghe & Rousseau [1] claim that four important assumptions form the basis for all research based on citation counts. The assumptions are that: (1) citation of an article implies use of that document by the citing author, (2) citation reflects the merit (quality, significance, impact) of the article, (3) references are made to the best possible works, and (4) an article is related in content to the one in which it is cited. Thus citation counts can be regarded as one method of obtaining a quantitative expression of the