Stratification of Time to First Citation for Articles Published in the Journal of Research in Music Education

Abstract

The author examined the speed of research dissemination by determining the time elapsed from publication to first citation for 617 articles in the Journal of Research in Music Education ( JRME). Google Scholar was used to create a unique data set of 6,930 references originating from journals in the arts, education, music, and other fields. An original computer script linked the journal citations to individual articles and calculated the elapsed time from publication to first citation in journals dedicated to music and other disciplines. Kaplan-Meier estimators determined the cumulative failure function and probability of a first citation by year. Failure plots revealed citations to the articles originated more quickly from journals in music than from other fields, highlighting the importance of the JRME to music scholars and gradual influence on other fields. Cumulative first-citation proportions from music journals reached 50% in 4 years and 75% in 8 years. Cox proportional-hazards regression revealed multiauthored studies were cited more quickly after publication than single-author studies, and citation speed changed under different editorships. This study reinforces the importance of JRME to the dissemination of research results throughout the music profession and highlights a need to connect music research with other disciplines.