A bibliometric analysis and review of classic publications in educational psychology

This study examines the attributes and citation history of classic publications in educational psychology using bibliometric indicators. Bibliographic data were collected from the 60 journals in the Web of Science (WoS) category of educational psychology from 1900 to 2023. Classic articles were defined as having ≥1,000 citations from their publication date to 2023 in the WoS Core Collection. One hundred forty-one classic documents in the WoS category of educational psychology were identified. The 1990s and 2000s were the most prolific decades in terms of classic articles in the discipline, although the highest cumulative citation count occurred in the 1930s. All classic articles were published in 17 different journals. The United States leads the production of classic publications, although they also emerge in European, Asian, and Oceanian countries. Many classic publications demonstrate steady and continuous citation growths over time, but five alternative citation life cycles emerged. Ten recurrent themes addressed in classic publications were identified: psychometrics, memory, socio-emotional development, motivation, rigour in qualitative research, (ethnic) identity, reading comprehension, cognitive load, parenting styles, and child development. Identifying classic articles can provide useful insights into trends in the development of educational psychology research. What is already known about this topic: Classic publications with high citation counts are crucial for advancing any academic discipline, serving as foundational references for ongoing research.The citation history and attributes of highly cited publications in educational psychology offer insights into influential research areas and methodologies.Previous studies have highlighted the prominence of English-language publications and the significant contributions of researchers from the United States in educational psychology. Classic publications with high citation counts are crucial for advancing any academic discipline, serving as foundational references for ongoing research. The citation history and attributes of highly cited publications in educational psychology offer insights into influential research areas and methodologies. Previous studies have highlighted the prominence of English-language publications and the significant contributions of researchers from the United States in educational psychology. What this topic adds: This study identifies 141 classic publications in educational psychology, providing a comprehensive overview of influential works based on bibliometric indicators.It reveals that the most prolific decade for classic publications was the 1990s and the 2000s, while the 1930s had the highest cumulative citation count, highlighting shifts in research impact over time.Classic publications tend to demonstrate a steady and continuous citation growth over time, but five alternative citation histories were identified, highlighting the diverse life cycles of classic works in educational psychology.The study uncovered weak to moderate correlations between classic and contextual citation metrics, suggesting that their classic status of highly cited articles generally results from positive academic contributions to the literature.Ten research themes were identified: psychometrics, memory, socio-emotional development, motivation, rigour in qualitative research, (ethnic) identity, reading comprehension, cognitive load, parenting styles, and child development, indicating potential future trends in the field. This study identifies 141 classic publications in educational psychology, providing a comprehensive overview of influential works based on bibliometric indicators. It reveals that the most prolific decade for classic publications was the 1990s and the 2000s, while the 1930s had the highest cumulative citation count, highlighting shifts in research impact over time. Classic publications tend to demonstrate a steady and continuous citation growth over time, but five alternative citation histories were identified, highlighting the diverse life cycles of classic works in educational psychology. The study uncovered weak to moderate correlations between classic and contextual citation metrics, suggesting that their classic status of highly cited articles generally results from positive academic contributions to the literature. Ten research themes were identified: psychometrics, memory, socio-emotional development, motivation, rigour in qualitative research, (ethnic) identity, reading comprehension, cognitive load, parenting styles, and child development, indicating potential future trends in the field.