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2026 , Vol. 70 >Issue 17: 123 - 137

DOI: https://doi.org/10.13266/j.issn.0252-3116.2026.17.009

RESEARCH PAPERS

Analysis of the Characteristics of Excessive Self-Citation Behavior in Journals Based on Full-Text Citation Content

  • LIU Yunmei ,
  • LI Ran ,
  • SHENG Xiaoping
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  • School of Cultural Heritage and Information Management, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444
Liu Yunmei, Associate Professor, PhD, Master’s Supervisor; Li Ran, Master’s Candidate; Sheng Xiaoping, Professor, PhD, Doctoral Supervisor, Corresponding Author, E-mail: shengxp68@126.com.

Received date: 2025-07-02

  Revised date: 2025-09-15

  Online published: 2026-08-20

Supported by

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China’s Youth Project titled “Research on the Identification and Generation Mechanism of Citation Misconduct Based on Full-text Citation Deconstruction” (Grant No. 72304181).

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Abstract

[Purpose/Signficance] In the context of frequent academic misconduct, the phenomenon of excessive self-citation in journals has become increasingly concealed. Traditional quantitative indicators are insufficient for detecting strategic self-citation behaviors, creating an urgent need for fine-grained analysis at the content-semantic level to support decision-making in optimizing academic ecosystem governance. [Method/Process] This study develops, for the first time, a six-dimensional annotation framework for analyzing self-citation behavior from the perspective of citation content semantics. The framework covers citation position, citation distance, citation depth, citation function, citation strength, and semantic similarity. Library Hi Tech—a journal removed from SSCI due to strategic self-citation—and Information & Management—a leading journal in the same field—are selected as comparative samples. Through detailed comparative analysis, the study explores the microscopic features of strategic self-citation behaviors. [Result/Conclusion] First, strategic self-citations are primarily concentrated in non-core sections such as the introduction(30%) and discussion(25%), and are characterized by short citation distance(37% occur within the same sentence), shallow citation depth(81% are shallow citations), limited functional diversity(43% are simple citations), and weak semantic relevance(34% fall below 0.5). Second, legitimate self-citations are more widely distributed across sections such as methods(25%), exhibit more diverse functions(e.g., inspiration, extension, application), and demonstrate significantly higher semantic relevance, with 36% falling within the 0.7–0.8 range. This study uncovers the mechanized citation pattern underlying strategic self-citation in journals, characterized by citation practices concentrated in non-core sections, shallow citation depth, intensive citation clustering, limited functional diversity, and low semantic relevance. It provides a theoretical foundation and methodological framework for the intelligent detection of abnormal self-citation behaviors in academic publishing at both the journal and article levels.

Key words： citation content; strategic self-citation; citation manipulation; self-citation behavior; semantic similarity

Cite this article

LIU Yunmei , LI Ran , SHENG Xiaoping . Analysis of the Characteristics of Excessive Self-Citation Behavior in Journals Based on Full-Text Citation Content[J]. Library and Information Service, 2026 , 70(17) : 123 -137 . DOI: 10.13266/j.issn.0252-3116.2026.17.009

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