Altmetrics – Technion Library

Altmetrics, or alternative metrics, are a set non-traditional ways to measure the impact of research. Altmetrics offer researchers an exciting new way to measure and boost the impact of their work.

By actively engaging with online platforms and tracking altmetric data, researchers can better understand how their work is being shared, discussed, and applied outside traditional academic spaces. Altmetrics complement conventional measures of research impact, providing a more comprehensive view of your work’s influence.

Useful Links

Why Altmetrics

The benefits of altmetrics

Real-time feedback
Altmetrics measure the early responses to your research, indicating how quickly it is gaining visibility.
Increased visibility
By monitoring altmetrics, you can identify which research is receiving the most attention and find the best ways to promote it.
They highlight varied contributions
Altmetrics enhance the importance of research beyond conventional publications, such as datasets, presentations, or open-access resources.

Types of Altmetric Data

Social media mentions: posts, tweets, and shares on platforms such as X (twitter), Facebook, and LinkedIn that mention or link to the research.
Blog posts: reviews or discussions about the research published on both academic and general blogs.
News mentions: references to the research or its findings in news articles or reports
Wikipedia mentions: when the research is included or cited in Wikipedia articles or other online reference sources.
Data downloads: when research data is downloaded or accessed from online repositories, data-sharing platforms, or institutional databases.
Citations in policy documents: references to the research within government reports, policy briefs, or other policy-making documents.

Ways to Improve Altmetric Scores

Share your research on social media
Publish in Open Access
Write blog posts or media articles
Present your work at conferences
Collaborate with influencers
Use multimedia
Participate in online research communities

Including Altmetrics in Your CV or Portfolio

Altmetric data is an excellent way to showcase the impact of your research. Here’s how you can include it in your CV or portfolio:

List your altmetric scores in your CV or portfolio or add a section on your CV or portfolio specifically for altmetric data.
Include links to platforms like Altmetric.com or PlumX, where readers can explore the detailed altmetric data related to your publications
Include the Altmetric “donut” graphic or other visual indicators of your research’s impact to make it more engaging and visually appealing

Limitations of Altmetrics

High altmetric scores don’t always reflect the quality of research work. It’s possible to attract attention without peer review or significant academic influence.
Altmetrics can be biased toward specific platforms or fields. For instance, social media engagement tends to be higher in disciplines like social sciences or humanities, while areas like mathematics or engineering may see less online interaction.
Altmetrics don’t cover all types of scholarly work equally. For example, research data or books might not receive the same level of attention or tracking as journal articles.
There is no universally accepted standard for measuring altmetrics, which can lead to inconsistencies in how they are calculated and interpreted across platforms. This makes comparisons difficult and less reliable.

Sources

Altmetric.com tracks mentions across social media, news, blogs, and more and visualizes the data through a “donut” chart. Some publishers include this data alongside citation counts.
PlumX Metrics provides a comprehensive overview of the impact of research, including altmetrics, and integrates it with various institutional systems.
PlumX collects research metrics for all types of scholarly output.
The metrics are grouped into five categories: citations, usage, captures, mentions, and social media.
PlumX is integrated into Current Research Information Systems (CRIS) to provide a more complete view of the impact and visibility of research outputs.
CRIS is used by institutions to manage research activities and gather key data about publications, projects, and researchers. read more about CRIS.
With PlumX’s altmetric data, CRIS can help identify trends in the dissemination and reception of research across various platforms, helping institutions and researchers promote their work more effectively.
Impactstory is a free tool that helps researchers monitor altmetrics and present the broader impact of their research across the internet.
Dimensions integrates citation data with altmetrics, providing a more comprehensive perspective on research impact.
Although Google Scholar is focused on citation metrics, Google Scholar lets researchers keep track of citations and explore basic altmetric information.