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This study tested empirically the citation behavior model of Moravcsik and Murugesan and examined the hypothesized relationships between three variables: reported citation type, reported utility level, and citation location. A group of elite scientists constituting an “invisible college” were asked to classify the references they had made in two of their recent papers following the model in question, and to judge the utility content of each reference cited. The response rate constituted 66% of a total of 42 questionnaires. A total of 344 references were examined. Some departures from the Moravcsik and Murugesan citation behavior model were found, as well as indications of complexities of both citation motivation and citation evaluation. Many citations were paired in categories presumed dichotomous by the model: 29 instances of cited documents were reported to have both a conceptual and an operational nature. Indeed, a document may contain many items of information that may be cited for a number of reasons. It is concluded that studies focusing on elements of information cited (coupled to their location parameters) as opposed to full citations, are needed to develop empirically based models reflecting the patterns of information use and the citation behavior of a scientific community. © 1989 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Vivian Figueras Caño (Sat,) studied this question.