Citation Age

Citation age, the average age of references in scientific papers, is a key indicator of how effectively the scientific community builds upon past research. Recent studies reveal a concerning trend of declining citation age in many fields, particularly in computer science subfields like natural language processing, raising questions about potential "citation amnesia" and the loss of valuable older knowledge. Research employs various methods, including analyzing large datasets of publications and developing agent-based models to simulate citation behavior, to understand the underlying causes and consequences of this trend, such as the influence of publication volume and the role of citation biases amplified by large language models. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for maintaining the integrity and efficiency of scientific knowledge accumulation and dissemination.