Guide: Citation Count
The number of citations corresponds to the total number of citations received in a publication. This figure may vary depending on the database in which the publication is indexed, as each database includes different journals.
What is it used for? This quantitative metric allows us to determine how many publications have cited our work.
Metrics and narrative
Sources
How to obtain the metric
- Log in to Web of Science using your IQS credentials.
- Search for the publication by title or DOI in the relevant Web of Science collection.
- The number of citations is shown in the record summary.
How to exclude self-citations
- To exclude self-citations, click on the number of citations.
- On the new results page, use the Researcher Profiles filter. Using Ctrl + F, search for your surname to find your name and select all records where you are listed as the author.
- Click Exclude.
- The number of citations has been updated to exclude your self-citations.
Example of a narrative:
Since the article was published in 2017, it has been cited a total of 73 times in the Web of Science Core Collection database excluding self-citations. [Accessed on 25 July 2025].
How do I obtain this metric?
- Log in to Scopus using your IQS credentials.
- Search for the article or publication by title, DOI or another identifier.
- The number of citations is shown on the right-hand side of the publication’s abstract record.
How to exclude self-citations
- To exclude self-citations, log in to your Scopus researcher profile.
- Once you are in your profile, click on search results format.
- On the new page listing all your publications, select the publication you are interested in.
- Click on Citation overview. In the graph that appears, select the Exclude self-citations option.
Example of a narrative:
The article published in the journal Capability Approach: Concepts, Measures and Applications in 2008 has accumulated a total of 196 citations in the Scopus database and 190 citations when excluding self-citations. [Accessed on 28 July 2025].
Guides and other resources
Contact us
If you have any questions about bibliometric indicators or how to draft a narrative setting out your scientific impact, please feel free to contact us.