Altmetrics Defined
altmetrics is the creation and study of new metrics based on the Social Web for analyzing, and informing scholarship.
According to Priem et al,
This matters because expressions of scholarship are becoming more diverse.
Articles are increasingly joined by:
• The sharing of “raw science” like datasets, code, and experimental designs
• Semantic publishing or “nanopublication,” where the citeable unit is an argument or passage rather than entire article.
• Widespread self-publishing via blogging, microblogging, and comments or annotations on existing work.
Altmetrics are fast, using public APIs to gather data in days or weeks and the data, scripts and algorithms that collect and interpret it are open.
Altmetrics emphasize semantic content like usernames, timestamps, and tags.
Altmetrics Tools Comparison Chart
Altmetrics Apps Features Comparison Chart:
|
|
Google Scholar Citations |
ImpactStory |
Paper Critic |
PLoS Impact Explorer |
|
Strengths |
easy to use & set up | works w/Mendeley |
interface |
|
|
Sign in/Link with Facebook? |
|
|||
|
Cost |
free |
free |
free |
Different levels |
|
Formats/Access Points |
|
|||
|
Mobile |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
Social Networking |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
Groups & Collaboration |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
RSS Feeds |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Introduction to Altmetrics
Mike Taylor, Elsevier Researcher, gives a good overview of Almetrics: The Good, Bad and Ugly.
More Indepth Videos about Altmetrics and Impact
Jason Priem presenting at Purdue University, 2012
Mike Taylor, Researcher with Elsevier, speaking about Almetrics at the UKSG 2013 Conference
Columbia University "Research Without Boarders" series has a good overview of altmetrics in: Measuring Scholarly Impact: The Influence of Altmetrics.
Suggested Readings
- Article-Level Metrics (ALMs): measuring the impact of researchThese site includes videos, presentations, and news.
- Altmetrics: Value all research productsWhat a difference a word makes. For all new grant applications from 14 January, the US National Science Foundation (NSF) asks a principal investigator to list his or her research “products” rather than “publications” in the biographical sketch section . . .
- The Altmetrics CollectionWhat paper should I read next? Who should I talk to at a conference? Which research group should get this grant? Researchers and funders alike must make daily judgments on how to best spend their limited time and money–judgments that are becoming increasingly difficult as the volume of scholarly communication increases . . .
- Alternative Research MetricsMost scientific researchers know the agony of waiting to hear about the status of a submitted manuscript. They are eager to change the phrase "manuscript submitted" on a grant application or curriculum vitae to "in press" in advance of some crucial deadline. Publications in prestigious journals—not necessarily the articles themselves but the fact of their existence—are the established and universal, albeit imperfect, way of claiming credit for the scientific work you've done, and there's always a delay . . .
- Altmetrics are the central way of measuring communication in the digital age but what do they miss?From the London School of Economics and Political Science. This post is a result of discussion at the LSE Future of Impacts conference in London in December 2012.