Research Impact Guide: Overview of Research Metrics

This guide presents tools that are available to measure the quantitative and qualitative impact of research; as well as how to track researcher impact.

Potentially, any database with citations could create bibliometric measures. Each database that offers bibliometric measures primarily uses its own unique data, journals, authority files, indexes, and subject categories.

There is currently no overarching tool across databases.

Second caveat: bibliometric measures should not be used to compare across disciplines. Research and citation behaviour differs in different fields. 

This guide is based on the "Measuring Your Research Impact" guide created by Karen Cook at the University of the Western Cape. It has been reused with permission.

Any errors and omissions should not be attributed to the University of the Western Cape.

Last updated: 31 October 2014 by Lara Skelly.

Quantitative methods such as citation counts, journal impact factors and researcher specific metrics, such as the h-index, provide a means of measuring research impact.

These research metrics can be used:

• to support grant applications
• to support applications for tenure or promotion
• to identify other researchers or insitutions that are using their work
• to identify other researchers and potential collaborators in their field
• by a researcher to maintain their own research profile
• in a Department and for Faculty reviews