Which kind of research papers influence policymaking

Abstract

This study examines the use of evidence in policymaking by analysing a range of journal and article attributes, as well as online engagement metrics. It employs a large-scale citation analysis of nearly 150 000 articles covering diverse policy topics. The findings highlight that scholarly citations exert the strongest positive influence on policy citations. Articles from journals with a higher citation impact and larger Mendeley readership are cited more frequently in policy documents. Other online engagements, such as news and blog mentions, also boost policy citations, while mentions on social media X have a negative effect. The finding that highly cited and widely read papers are also frequently referenced in policy documents likely reflects the perception among policymakers that such research is more trustworthy. In contrast, papers that derive their influence primarily from social media tend to be cited less often in policy contexts.