Connected Papers in 60 Seconds
You give Connected Papers a DOI or paper title. It generates a force-directed graph where:
- Node size = number of citations (prominent papers appear larger)
- Node colour = age of publication
- Edge thickness = similarity between papers
Papers that appear close together share many references and citations — they belong to the same research cluster.
When to Use It
Starting a literature review: paste your best-known reference, immediately see the landscape of the field, identify which papers are most central.
Finding seminal work: the largest, oldest nodes in the graph are almost always the foundational papers everyone in the field cites.
Checking coverage: if you think you’ve been thorough, generate a Connected Papers graph from one of your citations. Nodes you haven’t read that appear large are gaps.
Free vs. Paid
The free tier gives 5 graphs per month — usually enough for a targeted search. Paid access ($3/month) removes the limit. For a literature review phase that might span weeks, the paid tier is worth it.
Combine Connected Papers with Research Rabbit: use Connected Papers for topology (big picture), Research Rabbit for depth (iterative discovery).