Self-citation attitudes and practices in applied linguistics: A mixed-methods study

Excessive self-citation is a questionable research practice that has been found to be positively correlated with several researcher background characteristics. This study focuses on the closely related practice of gratuitous self-citation, which has been defined as an unnecessary (although not necessarily excessive) reference to one’s own work that does not contribute to the scholarly value of a new piece. Toward this end, we conducted an anonymous online survey to gauge US-based applied linguists’ perceptions of and attitudes toward self-citation. The results, among other findings, suggest that the maximum number of self-citations per publication should be around five or six; however, 47% of respondents indicated that journals should not impose a limit. Additionally, 54% of participants noted that employing gratuitous self-citation is unacceptable. Nonetheless, 77% of scholars admitted that Google Scholar metrics are important for hiring and promotion. Correlational analyses revealed that several participant background variables were associated with the percentage of self-citation in general but not gratuitous self-citation. Multiple regression analyses indicated that gender was the only meaningful predictor of gratuitous self-citation, whereas age was the only meaningful predictor of self-citation in general. Finally, thematic analysis of qualitative comments provided additional perspectives on how applied linguists define gratuitous self-citation and identify reasons for engaging in self-citation as well as what harms gratuitous self-citation can cause.