Research Impact

Bibliometric measures are ONE important tool among many to capture elements of research productivity and impact.

“Bibliometrics” is a set of methods to quantitatively analyze academic literature (Bellis, 2009, p. 417). “Citation analysis” is the most commonly used bibliometric method that is used in the field of library and information science. In addition, all research fields use bibliometrics methods to evaluate the impact of their research, the impact of a researcher, research group, institution, region, or the impact of a publication. (Toom, p215).

Examples of bibliometric measures include the number of publications or citations of a single researcher, a group of researchers, or an institution.

Common assessment activities that incorporate bibliometric measures include:

• Journal collections and selection
• Research funding 
• Tenure and promotion assessment 
• Identifying expertise in a field
• Identifying potential collaborators 
• University rankings 
• Evaluating institutional strengths

The impact of research can include:

• Instrumental impact: influencing the development of policy, practice or services, shaping legislation and changing behaviour
• Conceptual impact: contributing to the understanding of policy issues and reframing debates
• Capacity building through technical and personal skill development. (Source)

We may break down types of bibliometrics into loose categories:

• Author Metrics
• Publication Metrics
• Journal Metrics

Works Cited

Toom, Kristel. "Indicators." Research Management: Europe and Beyond. Ed. Jan Andersen, Susi Poli, Kristel Toom, and Pamela F. Miller. London: Academic Press, 2017.

This guide has been created by the Toronto Metropolitan University Library and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License unless otherwise marked.