Answered By: Research Center Desk Last Updated: Nov 03, 2016 Views: 14
The answer is yes, there is an easy way to search for texts that have cited a particular source! There are a couple of databases that are particularly good at "citation mapping," or linking you to works that have cited another work. Those two databases are Google Scholar and Web of Science. In Google Scholar, the feature is marked as "Cited By" in the results list. Here is what that looks like:
When you click on the “Cited by” link, you will be taken to a list of articles that have used the original article as a reference. Another nifty feature of Google Scholar is that you can link it to DU's library. It will show you which results we already own, and link you directly to them! Here is a link to another FAQ answer with instructions for doing that: http://libguides.du.edu/Scholar
The second database that is good at citation mapping is Web of Science. Here is where you find the citation links in that database:
Again, when you click on “Times Cited,” you will be taken to a list of articles that have used the original article as a reference.
One point that is important to remember when following citation trails like this is that a high number of citations doesn’t always mean something is a quality article. It could be the case that many people have cited an article as a poor example of research. It is important to carefully evaluate every source you find for your research, no matter how you find it.
Don’t forget to contact the Research Center for any questions you may have during your research process! We are here to help!