There are two ways you can use citations to find additional resources:
- Backward. You look at an information source's citation list. This will lead you to material that is older.
- Forward. You look at who has cited that information source. This will lead you to material that is newer.
Caution should be taken to ensure that any sources found from citations are of suitable academic quality by applying the CRAP principles and, if they are journal articles, whether they are peer reviewed.
Following citations backward
Things to note about following citations backward:
- This method helps you find information that is older. If the article you are looking at is already older than 5 years, it might not be a good idea to use this method.
- Every article you find using this method should be subjected to the same evaluative measures as any other information source.
Following citations forward
Some, but not all, databases have a feature that allows you to see who has cited the article you're looking at. The Wiley Online database is an example of a database that does have this feature.
Things to note about following citations forward:
- The database may not show you every citing article.
- Every article you find using this method should be subjected to the same evaluative measures as any other information source.
