Abstract
Using matching and regression analyses, we measure the difference in citations between articles posted to Academia.edu and other articles from similar journals, controlling for field, impact factor, and other variables. Based on a sample size of 31,216 papers, we find that a paper in a median impact factor journal uploaded to Academia.edu receives 16% more citations after one year than a similar article not available online, 51% more citations after three years, and 69% after five years. We also found that articles also posted to Academia.edu had 58% more citations than articles only posted to other online venues, such as personal and departmental home pages, after five years.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Access to Information*
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Internet*
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Journal Impact Factor
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Periodicals as Topic*
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Regression Analysis
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Sample Size
Grants and funding
Academia.edu paid its employees, contractors and an external consultancy (Polynumeral) to perform this study. Authors Yuri Niyazov, Richard Price, Ben Lund, David Judd, Adnan Akil, Michael Mortonson and Josh Schwartzman are employed by Academia.edu. Authors Carl Vogel and Max Shron are employed by Polynumeral. Academia.edu provided support in the form of salaries for authors YN, RP, BL, DJ, AA, MM and JS, but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the “author contributions” section. Polynumeral provided support in the form of salaries for authors CV and MS, but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the “author contributions” section.