Altmetrics

Altmetrics

Altmetrics are alternative metrics used to measure the impact and reach of scholarly articles and research outputs. Unlike traditional metrics such as the Impact Factor or h-index, which primarily focus on citation counts, altmetrics consider a broader range of indicators, including social media mentions, news articles, policy documents, and other online platforms.

History

The term "altmetrics" was first coined in 2010 by Jason Priem, a doctoral student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The concept emerged as a response to the limitations of traditional bibliometrics, which often fail to capture the diverse ways in which research can influence society and academia.

Components of Altmetrics

Altmetrics encompass a variety of data sources and indicators, including:

• Social Media Mentions: Tracking how often research is mentioned on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
• News Outlets: Counting mentions in news articles and media reports.
• Policy Documents: Identifying citations in government and organizational policy documents.
• Blog Posts: Monitoring discussions in academic and non-academic blogs.
• Online Reference Managers: Usage statistics from platforms like Mendeley and Zotero.
• Wikipedia Citations: Tracking references in Wikipedia articles.

Advantages

Altmetrics offer several advantages over traditional metrics:

• Timeliness: Altmetrics can provide immediate feedback on the impact of research, often within days of publication.
• Broader Impact: They capture the influence of research beyond academia, including public engagement and policy impact.
• Diverse Outputs: Altmetrics can be applied to a wide range of research outputs, including datasets, software, and presentations.

Criticisms

Despite their advantages, altmetrics also face criticism:

• Susceptibility to Manipulation: Social media metrics can be artificially inflated through coordinated campaigns or "gaming".
• Lack of Standardization: There is no universally accepted standard for calculating altmetrics, leading to variability in results.
• Contextual Limitations: Altmetrics may not always reflect the quality or significance of research, as popularity does not equate to scholarly impact.

Applications

Altmetrics are used by researchers, institutions, and publishers to:

• Assess the broader impact of research.
• Identify emerging trends and topics in various fields.
• Complement traditional metrics in research evaluation and funding decisions.

Also see

• Bibliometrics
• Impact Factor
• h-index
• Research Impact
• Open Access