What is citation chaining?
Last Updated: Jan 13, 2025     Views: 30

Citation chaining is a research technique that involves reviewing the references of a source that you already have. It is called chaining because one resource cites another, which cites another and is cited by yet another, creating a chain.

When you find an article that is highly relevant to your research, review the references the article has cited to find older articles related to your topic. This helps you understand the foundational research on your topic. This method is called backward citation chaining.

Forward citation chaining occurs when you search for more current research that cites a relevant article you have found. This will help you identify more recent research.

Using Google Scholar for Chaining

Google Scholar is a great tool for forward citation chaining. Access Google Scholar from the library’s Research Databases to see articles accessible from the University Library.

  • When you find an article relevant to your topic, click the Cited by link below the abstract. This will show you a list of newer articles that have cited the original article.
  • You can also click on the Related articles link below each article. Clicking this link shows you articles that are similar in topic or subject, even if citations do not directly connect them.

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