The "Cited by" link in Google Scholar shows a list of other articles that have referenced the resource you are viewing.

This feature can be extremely helpful for researchers and students because it serves the following purposes:

1. Tracking Newer Research: It allows you to find more recent studies that have cited the original article. This can be useful for identifying the latest developments and trends in the field related to the topic you’re researching.
2. Adding Credibility: When you see that multiple researchers have cited the article, it indicates that the work is considered valuable and credible within the academic community. This can help you feel more confident about including it in your own research or writing.
3. Finding Related Work: The cited-by list often includes papers that cover similar topics or expand on the same ideas. This can save time by leading you to other relevant studies without additional searches.

There are a few important things to keep in mind

• Publication Delay: There is often a delay in how quickly articles appear in the "Cited by" list.  For instance, an article published in 2024 may not have many citations yet because it takes time for new research to reference it and for those papers to be published. On average, it can take six months to a year for a new article to go through the publication process, even if it uses the original resource.
• Field-Specific Differences: The speed at which articles are cited also depends on the field of study. In fast-moving disciplines like computer science, citations may appear more quickly, whereas in areas like humanities or philosophy, the timeline might be longer.
• Quality Over Quantity: Having many citations can indicate the article's impact, it's also important to evaluate the quality of the works citing it. High citation numbers do not always guarantee the article's overall importance or relevance to your needs.