Library Help: Office For Open Research

What is a Highly Cited Paper?

A Highly Cited Paper is a designation assigned by Clarivate to research publications that rank in the top 1% by citation count for their field and publication year, based on data from the Web of Science Core Collection.

This status indicates that a paper has made a significant scholarly impact, placing it among the most influential outputs in its discipline. The methodology is field- and time-normalised, meaning papers are only compared to others from the same subject category and year of publication.

Why is the 'Highly Cited Paper' designation of note?

• Demonstrates research influence
  Recognises work that has shaped further research, become widely referenced, or contributed foundational knowledge in its field.

• Supports visibility and recognition
  Highly Cited Papers can attract broader attention—through media, policy citations, or research assessments—and may be used as evidence of research impact for funding applications, narrative CVs and similar.
   

How Are Highly Cited Papers determined?

Clarivate analyses data from the Web of Science Core Collection to identify papers that rank in the top 1% by citation count, within a given field and year. Thresholds vary depending on:

• The volume of research in the field

• Citation patterns specific to the discipline

• The age of the paper (since older papers have more time to accumulate citations)

The methodology ensures a fair comparison by accounting for disciplinary norms and avoiding bias toward high-output fields.

Platforms for Highly Cited Paper designation

Web of Science:

• Indicates Highly Cited status in the citation overview of individual papers

• Offers citation reports to highlight top-performing papers across a topic, author, or institution

InCites:

Built on Web of Science data, InCites allows you to:

• Track Highly Cited Papers at the individual, departmental, or institutional level

• Benchmark performance and visualise trends over time 

• Generate reports for strategic planning, funding, or impact evaluation 
   

How to Find Highly Cited papers in Web of Science

To find Highly Cited Papers in Web of Science, follow these steps:

1. Search for Your Paper:

   • Access Web of Science using the link available within Library Search
   • Use the search function to locate your paper by title, DOI, or author name.

2. Review Citation Metrics:

   • Once you have located your paper, look at the citation information provided. If the paper is a Highly Cited Paper, Web of Science will label it as such in the citation overview.

3. Use Citation Reports:

   • You can also explore Citation Reports in Web of Science to identify the most highly cited papers across disciplines. This will show which articles are ranked within the top 1% of their fields.
      

Understanding the link to Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers (HCR)

While Highly Cited Papers and Clarivate's Highly Cited Researchers (HCR) list are related, they are not the same. 

• The HCR list is published annually by Clarivate and identifies researchers who have multiple Highly Cited Papers across the past decade, placing them in the top 1% of authors globally for influence.

• A researcher’s inclusion depends on the number and consistency of their Highly Cited Papers in specific Essential Science Indicator (ESI) fields.
  
   

Using InCites to understand HCR criteria

InCites can help institutions and researchers:

• Understand how Highly Cited Paper counts contribute to HCR eligibility

• Track performance in ESI fields and compare against global benchmarks

• Identify areas where researchers may be approaching HCR thresholds

You can read Clarivate’s detailed methodology here:

• Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers Methodology 

For personalised support in exploring this data, please contact the Office for Open Research