In a scholar's career, the number and more significantly, the quality of citations of the papers is quite imperative as it is increasingly being used as an index for promotions, funding and grant reviews. Having a considerably high amount of citations profoundly displays the impact your research has on that field.

But maximizing and refining the citation is often looked up as rather a bane of one’s existence. Well, although the job looks quite tough, it's pretty easy. Siding aside the paradox of the previous statement, let’s look at some informative steps to increase your citation count:

1. Cite your own work.

Although this may sound quite narcissistic, in the field of research work, citing your own work is a well-thought-out; absolutely appropriate technique for your research paper. Citing your own work has two advantages:  First, it will act as a profile-raiser for all the work you've done related to that certain subject. Second, it will, of course, increase your citation count. Nevertheless, two things must be kept in mind while citing your own wok: First, the previous works that you're citing should be relevant to the subject and second, not more than 25-30% of the citations should be of your own work.

2. Cite the leaders of your field

Citing the pertinent leaders of your field gives out an impression that you are well aware of the significant researches of the field, and thus possess a vital knowledge of the contemporary works of the eminent names in the field.  It also helps to introduce articulate terminology for new concepts. Citing leaders in a field leads to reverse citations, which carry more weight.

3. Keywords are the key!

To expedite online article searches nowadays, most journals require authors to select 4-8 keywords (or phrases) to accompany a manuscript. This is where carefully chosen keywords come into play. Use the keywords that, you believe, underline the theme of your work and that the researchers are most likely to be looking up for, so that your paper will be readily available in database searches.

4. Cite your peers

Citing your colleagues is a well know practice to maximize your citation count as well as to boost your impression on others of possessing a great deal of information about the contemporary works and effects. So cite your colleagues' works wherever possible.  Also, include in your citations, those colleagues too, whose result is absolutely contrary to yours.

5. Choose a wide field

Although this step cannot be followed by each scholar for their work, but if it is possible (or if you are writing your paper as an amateur researcher), choose a field that is large enough or has very significant external applications. You will get a considerably high numbers of sources to cite as well as a broad audience to cite you. Otherwise, your citations will be limited to people or papers in a small community.

6. Stick to a consistent name

It is observed quite often that people use, intentionally or unintentionally, different names for different papers. Either they use their initials on one paper and their full name on the others, or they opt for a nom de plume for one paper and carry their original name for the other. Whichever name you wish to use in your papers, stick to it. Using the same name on all of your papers will make it easier for others to find all of your published work. And thus, it births more chances of others to cite you.

7. Underline the significance of your research

Explain to your audience why your research matters. Conduct and take part in conferences, participate in meetings, offer your lectures for libraries and such gatherings. Also, use YouTube and TedTalk to spread out your word. Utilize both institution and publisher press releases. Most institutions have a public relations division that can help create and deliver a press release.

8. Unique and New

One thing to be kept in mind is the exclusivity of the paper. Informative and unique papers often seem to go a long way and create a firm impact on the field. If your paper 'teaches' something new and beneficial to the other people, they will tend to cite your paper. It's one thing just putting together all the data and writing it up and another being able to 'communicate' it to the rest.

9. Review

A review exhibits thought-leadership within your field as well as the simultaneous idea of revolutionary work regarding a certain research.  It has been broadly observed that good reviews are often rewarded in the form of good citation rate. These citations translate to higher impact factors for the journals. Therefore, always consider writing a tremendous review. It may or may not build up a good career alone but it will unquestionably lead to a dramatic hype in overall citation count.

10. Promote, promote, promote

Promote your work wherever you can. Talk to other researchers about your paper, even ones not in your field, and email copies of your paper to researchers who may be interested. Get active on social media. Create a Facebook page and encourage discussion regarding your research, open a Twitter account and actively promote the updates about your work, write blogs about the revolutionary ideas related to your paper. Create a Linked In account and get in talk with other people worldwide, post about the conferences and meeting you have attended, ask questions, and maybe list your publication. Use and Provide a link to your page on social media. Get involved in it as much as you can.

While citing others, be careful about the names and spellings of authors and their works, for such carelessness may lead to distaste towards the author. Never forget to write a vibrant abstract so that your article is appropriately indexed and easy to find. Give it an effective title and submit it to the most respected journal.

Adopting various methods to maximize the citation count and citation rate looks like a difficult job at first, but yields fantastic results. Watching the citation rate growing high after striving hard for it is quite rewarding and gratifying in its own way!