What are publication metrics?
Publication metrics measure the number of times a publication has appeared in citations, the reference lists of other publications or holdings in libraries.
Metrics have limitations (including different citation patterns between disciplines, database coverage, self-citation rates and years covered) which mean that they can not be used as direct measures of quality.
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Preparation tips for gathering metrics include:
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Approaching the task systematically, one publication title and one databases/platform at a time.
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Developing meaningful folders for data management
Terms and Use
| Term | Where to use it |
| Altmetrics (or alternative metrics) | Track metrics around mentions of your work online, including social media and website analytics, media mentions or reviews, downloads or view counts. |
| Best sellers lists/copies sold information can be attained from publishers. | Best sellers lists/copies sold can be used in addition to other metrics as quantifiers of your publication's scope. |
| Book Reviews are critical evaluations of your work in scholarly journals or in the media. | Use book reviews to demonstrate scholarly reputation in your field of research and as an indication of your work's acceptance in the wider community. |
| Citation Benchmarking |
Use citation benchmarking to show how your publication citations compare with the average for other citations. |
| Citation Count |
Use citation counts to show how many times your publication has appeared in the reference lists of other publications. |
| Field Weighted Citation |
Field Weighed Citation can be used to compare the number of citations received by your publication to the average received in a similar research field. |
| Grey literature is material and research produced by organizations without the purpose of being commercially published. E.g. fact sheets or blogs. | Including Grey Literature metrics in grant and promotion applications can show how your research has been included in policy or demonstrate its public use. |
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Library holdings are a count of the libraries holding copies of your book. |
Use Library Holding numbers, alongside other metrics, in promotion and grant applications, as an indication of the interest in and scope of your work. |
| Reading Lists and Syllabus | University required reading lists and inclusion in school curriculum/syllabus can speak to the educational use of your work. |
Example statements for promotion and funding applications
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" Widely drawn upon by researchers internationally, this article, which has 47 Google Scholar citations, is recognized for its groundbreaking contribution to the debate around human-modified landscapes " " My article presenting issues on Mango fruit fly detection and monitoring is in the top 5% of cited articles published on Mango fruit flies between 2014-2017 " " In 2017, our paper on software simulations and heavy rail research, received an 84% higher rate of citations compared with the world average in its field " |
Note: Refer to scheme-specific rules to determine what information should be included in your grant or promotion application. Funding rules change from year to year.