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In an ideal world, you might imagine that scientific…

“In an ideal world, you might imagine that scientific papers were only cited by academics on the basis of their content. This might be true. But lots of other stuff can have an influence.” quote by Ben Goldacre
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“In an ideal world, you might imagine that scientific papers were only cited by academics on the basis of their content. This might be true. But lots of other stuff can have an influence.”

Ben Goldacre

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Citation practices are influenced by factors beyond content, like prestige and bias.

In simple terms: Citations are not purely merit‑based.

Key Takeaway

Critically evaluate sources.

Themes

science bias citation

Mood

critical skeptical

Type

analytical educational

When to use this quote

  • research evaluation
  • grant funding
  • literature review

Key Concepts

academic culture social influence

Questions to Reflect On

  • What non‑content factors affect your citations?
  • How can we reduce bias in scholarly referencing?
A Different Perspective

May undervalue groundbreaking work.

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