Authenticity or self-advocacy? Identifying the credibility of positive words in scientific titles and abstracts

The exponential growth of scientific papers has intensified competition within academia, leading researchers to strategically use positive language to enhance the visibility and appeal of their work. Previous evidence suggests that the use of positive language in scientific papers can increase their impact. However, the credibility of this strategy, particularly regarding the relationship between positive words and scientific quality, has yet to undergo rigorous empirical scrutiny. This study explores this relationship by drawing on self-presentation theory, differentiating between authentic self-presentation and exaggerated self-advocacy. Analyzing 124,144 management scientific papers from 2001 to 2020, our findings reveal a significant positive correlation between the presence of positive words in titles and abstracts and paper quality, suggesting that positive language serves as a credible signal of higher-quality research. Cross-validation and robustness checks further affirm the stability of these results. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of linguistic strategies in academic writing, advocating for the genuine use of positive language to promote the merits of high-quality scientific ideas and findings. © Akadémiai Kiadó Zrt 2026.