Snowballing in Research: A Complete Guide to Citation Chaining
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When conducting academic research, finding high-quality, relevant sources is one of the biggest challenges students and scholars face. Even with access to vast databases and online search tools, it’s easy to feel lost in a sea of information.
This is where snowballing in research, also known as citation chaining, comes in. Snowballing is a powerful and strategic way to trace the development of ideas, identify key authors, and uncover hidden but relevant studies. Whether you’re writing a dissertation, literature review, or research paper, snowballing can help you build a stronger, more comprehensive foundation for your work.
What Is Snowballing in Research?
So, what does snowballing mean research exactly? In simple terms, it’s a method of finding new sources by exploring the references and citations linked to a key paper. Just as a snowball gathers more snow as it rolls downhill, one piece of research can lead you to many more related studies. You start with one relevant article — perhaps a seminal study in your field — and then you:
By moving back and forth through references, you can build a “chain” of interconnected studies — hence the alternative term, citation chaining.
This technique is especially useful in areas where search terms alone might not uncover all relevant literature, such as interdisciplinary or emerging research topics.
For example, if you are researching digital literacy in higher education, one early article might cite key works on student learning theories. By exploring those references and then seeing who has cited them more recently, you gradually map out the development of thought in your field.
How the Snowball Research Method Works
The snowball research method involves two main stages: backward snowballing and forward snowballing. Both can be done manually or with the help of online databases.
1. Backward snowballing
This is the process of examining the reference list or bibliography of a key paper. It helps you identify the earlier studies that influenced that research. These older sources are often foundational or theoretical works that provide context for your own study.
For instance, if your paper on climate policy cites a 2019 study, you can look through its reference list to find older, influential works on environmental governance or policy modelling.
2. Forward snowballing
This approach looks ahead rather than back. You use databases such as Google Scholar to see which newer studies have cited your chosen paper. This helps you trace how the topic has evolved and stay updated with the latest developments.
Google Scholar makes this particularly easy — simply click on “Cited by” under a paper’s listing to see newer research that references it. You can read more on this in our detailed guide on how to use Google Scholar.
3. Combining both methods
The most effective approach is to combine backward and forward snowballing. Start with a seminal article, explore its references (backward), then move on to find more recent articles that cite it (forward). Each new article you find can then become the centre of its own snowballing process.
This recursive method ensures that your literature review grows both in depth (older, foundational works) and breadth (newer, emerging research). It’s particularly valuable at postgraduate level, especially in PhD research, where depth and comprehensiveness are crucial.
Benefits of Snowballing in Research
Snowballing in research offers several advantages, especially when compared with keyword-based searches alone.
1. It ensures thorough coverage
Search engines and databases depend on how well you phrase your keywords. Even the best search terms can miss studies that use slightly different terminology.
Snowballing bypasses this problem by following citation trails, ensuring you don’t overlook relevant literature that might not appear in a keyword search.
2. It highlights influential works
By tracing which papers are cited most often, snowballing helps you identify the most influential authors and studies in your area. This can be vital when writing your literature review or framing your research rationale.
3. It supports critical evaluation
Snowballing naturally encourages critical engagement with sources. As you trace how ideas have evolved, you can see which theories have been supported, challenged, or expanded.
📖 ➡️ For tips on assessing the quality of what you find, see our guide on How to Find and Evaluate Sources for Your Research Paper.
4. It’s efficient and adaptable
Snowballing works well across disciplines. Whether you’re in the humanities, social sciences, or applied fields, it’s adaptable to different databases and methodologies. You can start small — with a single article — and expand your search as your project develops.
Limitations of Snowballing in Research
Despite its strengths, the snowball research method isn’t without limitations. It’s important to use it thoughtfully and alongside other search strategies.
1. Risk of bias
Because snowballing builds on existing networks of citations, it can reinforce academic “echo chambers.” Highly cited authors and dominant theories are more likely to appear, while less mainstream perspectives might be missed. To counter this, combine snowballing with broader searches using databases and keywords.
2. Missing newer or less-cited studies
New papers may not yet have been widely cited, meaning they’re excluded from citation chains. To stay up to date, periodically check for recent publications using keyword searches or alerts in Google Scholar.
3. Relevance drift
As you follow citation chains, it’s easy to drift away from your original research focus. Keep detailed notes of why each source is relevant, and always return to your central research question before expanding your search further.
4. Quality variation
Not every cited source is equally credible. Some may be outdated or methodologically weak. Always evaluate each source critically.
📖➡️ Our guide on How to Tell if a Source Is Reliable can help you assess quality and reliability before including a study in your literature review.
When to Use the Snowball Research Method
Snowballing is particularly effective at specific stages of the research process:
1. Early-stage exploration
When you’re first defining your research topic, snowballing helps you identify the major debates and theoretical frameworks in your area.
2. Conducting a literature review
For undergraduate dissertations and PhD thesis snowballing ensures you capture a broad range of sources, from classic works to the latest studies.
3. Developing research questions
By seeing how previous authors have approached your topic, you can identify research gaps or unresolved issues that inform your own question design.
4. Refining your methodology
Snowballing can help you locate studies that use similar research designs, data collection methods, or analytical frameworks, guiding you in shaping your own methodology section.
Practical Example: Snowballing in Action
Imagine you are a Master's student working on the representations of gender in nineteenth-century British literature. You begin with a 2018 journal article titled Gender and Morality in the Victorian Novel: Reassessing the Domestic Ideal.
Backward Snowballing
You review the article’s reference list and discover several foundational works on Victorian gender ideology, including early studies on domesticity and women’s writing. These older sources establish the historical and theoretical framework for their dissertation.
Forward Snowballing
Using Google Scholar, you'll then check to see which more recent scholars have cited the 2018 article. You find newer analyses that apply feminist and postcolonial perspectives to the same novels, expanding the discussion beyond traditional gender roles.
Expanding the Chain
One of these recent papers cites an interdisciplinary study on visual culture and literary form, prompting you to explore how depictions of women in painting and illustration influence literary characterisation.
Through the above snowball research method, you will be able to gradually construct a rich, interconnected body of scholarship spanning literature, history, and art.
By tracing references both backwards and forwards, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the ongoing academic conversation — and can situate your own argument within it.
Tips for Effective Snowballing
To make the most of the snowball research method, consider these practical tips:
- Choose your starting point carefully
Select a key paper that’s highly relevant, well-cited, and from a reputable journal. This sets a strong foundation for your snowballing process. - Keep organised records
Use reference management tools like Zotero, EndNote, or Mendeley to track which articles you’ve followed and where each new lead comes from. Create notes about relevance and citation paths for transparency. - Use multiple databases
While Google Scholar is excellent for forward snowballing, supplement it with databases like Scopus, Web of Science, or subject-specific repositories to broaden your coverage. - Stop strategically
It’s easy for snowballing to become endless. Decide in advance how many levels deep you’ll go (for example, references from your initial articles and their direct citations). Once you see recurring authors or studies, you’ve likely reached a point of saturation. - Combine with systematic searching
Snowballing works best as part of a wider research strategy. Pair it with systematic search techniques using keywords and Boolean operators to ensure you’re not missing out on relevant material.
Building a Strong Literature Base through Snowballing
Snowballing is an invaluable strategy to use in research, especially during your literature review phase for expanding and deepening your understanding of a topic. By following citation trails, you can uncover influential studies, discover emerging research, and ensure that your literature review reflects both historical depth and current debates.
However, like any research method, snowballing works best when used critically and in combination with other techniques. Keep your research questions in mind, evaluate sources carefully, and maintain a clear record of your search process.
