TY  - JOUR
AU  - Kudlow, Paul
AU  - Brown, Tashauna
AU  - Eysenbach, Gunther
PY  - 2021
DA  - 2021/12/10
TI  - Citation Advantage of Promoted Articles in a Cross-Publisher Distribution Platform: 36-Month Follow-up to a Randomized Controlled Trial
JO  - J Med Internet Res
SP  - e34051
VL  - 23
IS  - 12
KW  - knowledge translation
KW  - knowledge
KW  - dissemination
KW  - digital knowledge translation
KW  - digital publishing
KW  - e-publishing
KW  - open access
KW  - scientometrics
KW  - infometrics
AB  - Background: There are limited evidence-based strategies that have been shown to increase the rate at which peer-reviewed articles are cited. In a previously reported randomized controlled trial, we demonstrated that promotion of article links in an online cross-publisher distribution platform (TrendMD) persistently augments citation rates after 12 months, leading to a statistically significant 50% increase in citations relative to the control. Objective: This study aims to investigate if the citation advantage of promoted articles upholds after 36 months. Methods: A total of 3200 published articles in 64 peer-reviewed journals across 8 subject areas were block randomized at the subject level to either the TrendMD group (n=1600) or the control group (n=1600) of the study. Articles were promoted in the TrendMD Network for 6 months. We compared the citation rates in both groups after 36 months. Results: At 36 months, we found the citation advantage endured; articles randomized to TrendMD showed a 28% increase in mean citations relative to the control. The difference in mean citations at 36 months for articles randomized to TrendMD versus the control was 10.52 (95% CI 3.79-17.25) and was statistically significant (P=.001). Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first randomized controlled trial to demonstrate how a postpublication article promotion intervention can be used to persistently augment citations of peer-reviewed articles. TrendMD is an efficient digital tool for knowledge translation and dissemination to targeted audiences to facilitate the uptake of research. 
SN  - 1438-8871
UR  - https://www.jmir.org/2021/12/e34051
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/34051
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34890350
DO  - 10.2196/34051
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/34051
ER  -