The most-cited works in Geomorphology

Abstract We conducted a review and analysis of the references cited in articles published (1995–2004) in the journal Geomorphology and also solicited comments from the authors of the most-cited works on their major influences. Of the 31,696 unique works cited in the journal, only 22 were referenced at least 20 times, with the vast majority (92%) cited only once or twice. We divided the citations into the 10 most-cited books (i.e., complete volumes) and 10 most-cited papers (i.e., journal articles, book chapters, reports). A total of 23 different researchers were responsible for the 20 works, with one (Wolman) being an author or co-author of a quarter of them. Seven of the ten most-cited papers were based on work in the USGS in the mid-twentieth century, indicating a particularly fruitful time of geomorphic research and a particularly important cohort of scientists. Based on our citation analysis and author commentaries, we suggest that classic works in geomorphology are most likely to be those that provide useful knowledge and those that incorporate interdisciplinary perspectives.

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