Keys of Scientific Research Course : Lecture (10) Citation, DOI, ORCID, and Impact Factor

Introduction to Research and Citation

Overview of Data and Publications

• The speaker, Abdullah Al-Wakeel, introduces the topic of research data and its significance in academic publications.

• Emphasizes the importance of citations in scientific research, referring to them as "استشهاد" (citation) which acknowledges previous studies relevant to the current research.

Importance of Citations

• Citations serve two main purposes: protecting intellectual property rights of original researchers and providing a reference for readers to trace back the source material.

• Discusses how citations are essential when writing introductions for research papers, allowing researchers to build upon existing knowledge.

Research Methodology

Building on Previous Work

• Highlights that new research often builds on prior studies; thus, understanding previous work is crucial for developing new insights.

• Mentions that researchers should not aim to reinvent the wheel but rather enhance or modify existing findings based on earlier contributions.

Practical Examples

• Provides an example where a researcher cites another's work to support their own findings, illustrating collaborative nature in academia.

• Stresses that reviewing numerous studies (e.g., 50 or more) is fundamental for any significant academic endeavor.

Understanding Research Identifiers

Unique Identifiers for Research Papers

• Introduces DOI (Digital Object Identifier), which serves as a unique fingerprint for each published paper, akin to a national ID number.

• Explains that every research paper has its own DOI, ensuring it can be easily identified and referenced without confusion.

Researcher Identification

• Discusses ORCID IDs as unique identifiers for researchers, helping distinguish between authors with similar names in academic databases.

• Clarifies that having a unique identifier helps maintain clarity about authorship and attribution in scholarly communication.

Evaluating Journal Quality

Assessing Credibility of Journals

• Raises questions about how one can determine if a journal is reputable or trustworthy.

Impact Factor: Understanding Its Role in Research Quality

What is Impact Factor?

• The impact factor is a criterion used to evaluate the quality of research journals, indicating whether a journal is reputable or not.

• It reflects the strength of a field; higher impact factors suggest stronger journals. However, it is one of several criteria and not an absolute measure.

• The impact factor can fluctuate yearly, affecting how we perceive the reliability of published research.

Evaluating Journals Using Impact Factor

• To assess a journal's impact factor, one can search for its title online to find its current rating. For example, if a journal has an impact factor of 5.6, it indicates that it is considered respectable and trustworthy for referencing results.