Maximizing Journal Article Citation Online: Readers, Robots, and Research Visibility

Abstract

Online peer-reviewed academic journals bring much-touted benefits to authors. They can enhance an article's visibility, link one's research rapidly to the appropriate web of key literature, and bring it to the attention of more scholars who will use it, thus boosting the chances of maximized citation hits. Yet writing an article for online distribution in a way that takes advantage of these benefits is different from preparing one for print journals in some small, but important, respects. To be cited, articles have to be both visible in an electronic environment and perceptively relevant to their key audience from the outset. After introducing the first online-only issue of Politics & Policy (a print-driven journal for 40 years), the editor covers some techniques authors should consider when submitting to online journals, from writing a search engine-friendly title and abstract to tips on how authors can maximize visibility once an article is published. © The Policy Studies Organization.