How to Merge Duplicate Publications in Google Scholar Without Losing Citations

Duplicate entries in Google Scholar can lower the visibility of your research profile and create confusion about your publication record. When the same article appears multiple times under slightly different titles, authors, or versions, your citation count becomes fragmented. Merging those duplicates is an essential part of keeping your academic profile accurate and professional.

This guide explains how to identify, merge, and manage duplicate entries in Google Scholar. It also covers why duplicates occur and how to prevent them in the future.

Why Duplicate Entries Happen in Google Scholar

Google Scholar gathers research data automatically from university repositories, journal websites, conference proceedings, and databases. Because of the automated process, the platform sometimes records the same paper several times under slightly different metadata.

The most common reasons for duplicate entries include:

1. Different versions of the same paper. For example, your preprint on a university website and the final version on a publisher’s page.

2. Minor differences in author name formats. One version might list you as “J. A. Smith” and another as “John A. Smith.”

3. Changes in titles or abstracts. Some journals slightly adjust titles when publishing the final version.

4. Imported records from multiple databases. Google Scholar indexes from multiple sources, each with its own formatting.

5. Manual additions to your profile. If you added a paper manually, Google Scholar might later index the same paper automatically, creating a duplicate.

Duplicates affect your academic credibility and statistics. Citations get divided across entries, making your total citation count and h-index appear lower than they are. That is why merging duplicates is important.

Step-by-Step Guide to Merging Duplicate Entries

Step 1: Sign in to Your Google Scholar Profile

Go to https://scholar.google.com and sign in using the Google account linked to your Scholar profile. You must be logged in to edit, merge, or delete entries.

After signing in, click on “My Profile” at the top of the page to view your list of publications.

Step 2: Identify Duplicate Entries

Review your publication list carefully. Look for entries with the same or similar titles, co-authors, or publication years. Duplicate entries often have small variations in titles or sources but refer to the same research paper.

You can also use the search bar inside your profile to find duplicates faster. Type a keyword from your paper’s title and check if multiple versions appear.

Step 3: Select the Duplicate Entries

Once you locate duplicates, click the checkboxes next to each version of the same paper.

For example, if you have two entries titled:

• “Analysis of Agricultural Trends in Southern Africa”

• “Agricultural Trends in Southern Africa: A Statistical Review”

Check both boxes.

Step 4: Click the “Merge” Button

After selecting duplicates, look for a small “Merge” button that appears above your publication list. Click it.

Google Scholar will combine the selected entries into a single record. The system keeps one entry as the main version and merges all citation counts from the duplicates into it.

If the entries are not perfect duplicates, Google Scholar might display a confirmation message asking you to verify the merge. Confirm to complete the process.

Step 5: Review the Result

After merging, check that:

• The title and authors are correct.

• The citation count now includes all citations from previous versions.

• The publication year and source look accurate.

If you find an error, you can edit the merged entry by clicking on the title and selecting “Edit.” Update the details manually.

How to Handle Different Versions of the Same Paper

Sometimes, you may have a conference paper and a later journal version of the same study. These are technically different publications, so you should not merge them unless they are identical.

To decide whether to merge or keep them separate, ask:

• Do they have different DOIs?

• Were they published in different venues?

• Are they cited independently by other researchers?

If the answer is yes to any of these, keep them separate. But if one is an earlier draft or repository copy of the same paper, merging helps clean up your record and consolidate citations.

How to Undo a Merge

If you merge entries by mistake, you can undo it easily:

1. Go to your Google Scholar profile.

2. Find the merged paper.

3. Click the title, then select “View all versions.”

4. Use “Edit” or “Delete” to separate versions manually, or remove the incorrect one and re-add it later.

Also Read: How to Remove Incorrect Articles from Google Scholar?

How to Prevent Duplicate Entries in the Future

Keeping your Google Scholar profile clean requires a few ongoing practices.

1. Check New Additions Regularly

Google Scholar sometimes adds new publications automatically. Review your profile every few weeks. When you see a new entry, confirm whether it’s a duplicate before accepting it.

If your settings allow automatic updates, consider switching to “Email me updates for review” instead of full automation. That lets you approve or reject new entries manually.

2. Use Consistent Author Details

Always use the same author name format when publishing new papers. For example, if you use “Israel W. Jeremiah,” avoid switching to “I. Jeremiah” or “Israel Jeremiah” in different journals.

Consistency helps Google’s algorithms recognize that all publications belong to the same person.

3. Add DOI and Metadata Correctly

When uploading papers to institutional repositories, make sure the metadata (title, author, journal, and DOI) matches the published version. Incorrect or inconsistent metadata is a frequent source of duplicates.

4. Avoid Manual Re-entry Unless Necessary

Before adding a paper manually, search for it in Google Scholar. If the paper already exists but hasn’t been linked to your profile, click “Add” next to the correct version instead of creating a new one.

5. Link Your ORCID

Connect your ORCID to your Google Scholar profile. It makes it easier for Scholar and other databases to match your publications correctly.

Troubleshooting Common Merge Problems

Sometimes Google Scholar may not allow a merge or may behave unexpectedly.

Problem 1: The “Merge” button does not appear.

• You might not be logged in, or you selected entries that are too different.

• Make sure the titles are similar. Google Scholar only allows merging when it recognizes potential duplication.

Problem 2: Merged entry shows wrong details.

• Edit the entry manually. Click on the title, then the pencil icon.

• Update title, authors, or publication year manually.

Problem 3: Merged citations did not increase.

• Google’s citation index updates slowly. Wait a few days.

• If no change appears after two weeks, delete the duplicate entries and re-add the correct version manually.

Problem 4: The same duplicate keeps reappearing.

• Disable automatic updates.

• Go to your profile → Settings → “Automatic updates.” Choose “Email me updates to review” so duplicates won’t return automatically.

Also Read: Step by step Guide on how to Add Publications to Google Scholar Profile

Why Keeping Your Profile Clean Matters

A well-maintained Google Scholar profile reflects professionalism and academic integrity. The benefits include:

1. Accurate citation metrics. Your h-index and total citation count become reliable indicators of your research impact.

2. Better discoverability. A clean profile helps other scholars, funders, and institutions find your correct publications.

3. Stronger online presence. Many universities and funding agencies now evaluate researchers through public profiles like Google Scholar, ORCID, and ResearchGate.

4. Improved trust. When collaborators or students view your profile, they see consistent and verified data.

Summary

Merging duplicate entries in Google Scholar is simple once you understand the steps.

1. Log in to your Google Scholar account.

2. Identify duplicate titles in your profile.

3. Select the checkboxes next to them.

4. Click “Merge” to combine duplicates.

5. Review the merged record for accuracy.

To avoid future duplicates, use consistent author information, correct metadata, and manual review settings. Regularly check your profile for new additions and maintain a single, verified version of each publication.

Managing duplicates keeps your academic footprint organized and ensures your citations represent your full contribution to research.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does merging duplicates increase citation counts immediately?
Usually yes, but sometimes it takes a few days for Google Scholar to recalculate citation metrics after a merge.

2. Can I merge entries from different authors?
No. Google Scholar only allows merging within one profile. You cannot merge papers across different author accounts.

3. What if my paper appears under someone else’s profile?
Search for the paper on Google Scholar. Click “Claim” or “Add to my profile” next to the correct version to associate it with your account.

4. Can I merge more than two entries at once?
Yes. Select all versions of the same paper and click “Merge.” You can merge multiple duplicates in a single action.

5. Why does Google Scholar keep adding duplicates automatically?
Automatic updates sometimes misread repository uploads or publisher versions as separate papers. Switch to manual approval to stop duplicates from returning.

6. Does merging affect my publication link or DOI?
No. The merged entry keeps the same main DOI and metadata. The process only consolidates duplicate data and citation counts.