The Anatomy of Impact: What Makes an Article Influential?

Abstract

This study presents an analysis of psychologists' implicit theories of what makes an article influential in psychology The study opens with a review of some alternative approaches to assessing the influence of articles Next, the article discusses alternative conceptions of influence Then a study that assesses the factors underlying impact is described Six factors are identified Quality of Presentation, Theoretical Significance, Practical Significance, Substantive Interest, Methodological Interest, and Value for Future Research These findings are then discussed in terms of the theories presented earlier