Quality, quantity, and impact in academic publication

Publication records of 85 social-personality psychologists were tracked from the time of their doctoral studies until 10 years post-PhD. Associations between publication quantity (number of articles), quality (mean journal impact factor and article influence score), and impact (citations, h-index, g-index, webpage visits) were examined. Publication quantity and quality were only modestly related, and there was evidence of a quality-quantity; trade-off. Impact was more strongly associated with quantity than quality. Authors whose records weighed quality over quantity tended to be associated with more prestigious institutions, but had lesser impact. Quantity- and quality-favoring publication strategies may have important implications for the shape and success of scientific careers. Copyright (C) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.